Women call for reform in local governance 

Speakers at a virtual forum for women traditional leaders and women activists have called for the reform of the country’s local governance system which they say is not inclusive.  
They observed that certain groups of people, including chiefs, women, youth, children, and People Living With Disabilities had been excluded or marginalised from participating in the governance system. 
Nana Kofi Abuna V, Chief of Essipong, speaking at the forum organised by the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) called for the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill (ACB), which she said was long overdue.  
The Institute for Democratic Governance is partnering the School for Distance and Continuing Education of the University of Ghana for the 75thAnnual New Year School (ANYS) at Legon, scheduled for 8th -12th January 2024.  
The theme for the programme was: “Nurturing resilience, adopting technology, embracing humanism and sustainable development”.     
Nana Abuna said the passage of the Bill would embolden women and increase their participation in the local governance system. 
Dr Emmanuel Akwetey, Executive Director of IDEG, speaking on the “constitutional and local governance reforms”, called for political consensus between voters and their representatives in Parliament to have the Local Government law amended. 
He said stands taken by groups that political parties should be excluded from the local government structure would be problematic. 
He said political parties still had crucial roles in bringing about transformational development whether in the economy or social pro-poor policies. 
“…It is when parties are coming into governance situation that the need for institutions of State that are professional, autonomous, protected against political manipulation becomes stronger,” he said. 
Professor Kwesi Jonah, Senior Research Fellow at IDEG, speaking on IDEG’s partnering role at the 75thAnnual New Year School, explained that the Organisation would play a major role in this year’s ANYS with specific emphasis on structural reforms for a more resilient local government system in Ghana. 
He said the objective was to use the ANYS to build consensus on the local government reforms, hoping to find solution to the problem at the end of the programme. 
He said after the ANYS in January 2024, IDEG would continue to educate the public on the reforms throughout the country using the regional facilities of the School for Distance and Continuing Education of the University of Ghana.        
GNA