Government cannot renege on its responsibility – Tema East MP
Tema, Oct. 24, GNA- Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, Member of Parliament (MP) for the Tema East Constituency, has said that governments and heads of public institutions cannot renege on their responsibilities and expect their appointees and departmental heads to do magic.
He therefore charged the government to support Mr Yohannes Armah Ashitey, the current Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) to enable him fulfil his responsibility and bring about development in Tema.
He said, « I want to commend the government on the appointment of a new MCE, once they have changed the MCE, it’s an admission that something has not been done well, so let’s see how government supports the current MCE in his term. »
Mr Odamtten, who was speaking on the Tema Ghana News Agency (GNA) Industrial News Hub Board Room Dialogue, noted that the Constitution mandates government to release a minimum of five per cent of gross domestic revenue for Common Fund Administration.
« As we speak, we are in October and three quarters are in arrears so how do you expect the Assemblies to engage the citizens through town hall meetings or community engagements? he quizzed.
The Tema East Constituency MP indicated; « if the Constitution says every quarter, revenue must be sent to the Common Fund, it was not for nothing.
« An old woman’s child who needs scholarship support in the district can rely on the Common Fund, so that we balance the national class system, the state support system can help the vulnerable, » he added.
He stated that if the little that must go to the District Assemblies for development and social intervention purposes are not going, then we are really impoverishing the poor and making the rich, richer all the time.
Mr Francis Ameyibor, Ghana News Agency, Tema Regional Manager, noted that modern journalism practices demand a comprehensive dynamic approach to issues which affect society, through which the media provides a platform for proactive engagement and exchange of ideas towards shaping national development.
In view of these development and conscious of not leaving anyone behind, the Tema Ghana News Agency Regional Office has created three major flagship news platforms to serve the public through unbiased dissemination of truthful, factual, accurate and balance news.
The three flagship news platforms are: « Monthly Stakeholder Engagement and Workers’ Appreciation Day » seminar, which comes on every last Wednesday of the month; « Weekly GNA-Tema and Tema Motor Transport and Traffic Department Road Safety Campaign » and « Weekly Tema GNA Industrial Boardroom Dialogue » platforms.
Mr Ameyibor said « our operations now hinge more towards advocacy journalism which focuses on providing a platform for citizens to share key information needed to make the best possible decisions about national issues, community development, protection of society and enhance governance. »
