𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗨𝗦𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗢𝗡 𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗔𝗦 𝗡𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗢𝗡 𝗗𝗖𝗘 𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦

The forum brought together traditional and religious leaders, Assembly Members, heads of departments and agencies, representatives of civil society organisations and development partners, farmers, women, youth, persons with disabilities, the media and residents from communities across the district. Hon. Ali Adolf John said the government, under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, recognised the crucial role of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in driving development at the grassroots and was committed to strengthening their financial capacity to respond to local development needs.

He noted that resources channelled through the Common Fund were intended to support critical interventions in education, healthcare, roads, water and sanitation, agriculture, social protection and local economic development. He, however, stressed that increased financial resources must be matched by accountability, value for money and responsible management, urging the Assembly to prioritise projects based on the genuine needs of residents and ensure that every cedi entrusted to it translated into tangible and sustainable development.

The Minister encouraged the Assembly to maintain close engagement with communities and adequately inform residents about projects being undertaken with public funds. He said accountability at the local level was essential to building public confidence in government institutions, while urging citizens to participate actively in town hall meetings and other accountability platforms, monitor development projects and hold duty bearers accountable for the effective use of resources.

The District Chief Executive for Nanton, Hon. Abdul Rahaman Zenabu Rosina, reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to transparency, accountability, prudent financial management and inclusive development. She said the Accountability Series was not merely a statutory exercise but an opportunity for the Assembly to directly account to the people, explain how resources had been utilised, acknowledge challenges and receive feedback on its performance and development priorities.

According to the DCE, the Assembly had prioritised education, healthcare, agriculture, road infrastructure, potable water, sanitation, youth empowerment, social protection and local economic development. She said the Assembly would continue to collaborate with relevant government agencies, traditional authorities, communities, development partners and the private sector to address infrastructure deficits, improve service delivery and create opportunities for residents, particularly young people and women.

Hon. Rosina Abdul Rahaman identified agriculture as a major pillar of the district’s economy and said the Assembly would continue to support initiatives aimed at improving agricultural productivity, livestock production, agro-processing and value addition. She also stressed the need to empower young people through skills development, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities, assuring residents that the Assembly would continue to pursue partnerships that could create sustainable livelihoods.

On sanitation, the DCE called for stronger community participation, noting that maintaining clean and healthy communities could not be the sole responsibility of the Assembly. She appealed to traditional and religious leaders, households, businesses, schools, market operators and residents to take ownership of sanitation, while assuring residents that the Assembly would continue to engage relevant authorities to address concerns over roads and other critical infrastructure.

The Regional Minister also highlighted the government’s 24-hour Economy initiative, particularly the 24-hour Economy Market projects, describing them as important interventions aimed at expanding economic opportunities, strengthening local commerce and creating an enabling environment for businesses to operate and generate employment. He urged the Nanton District Assembly to pay particular attention to the implementation of the project in the district and ensure that the contractor adhered strictly to approved specifications, timelines and quality standards.

Hon. Adolf cautioned against unnecessary delays, poor workmanship and the use of substandard materials, stressing that effective supervision was necessary to secure value for money. He said the successful completion of the 24-hour Economy Market project would provide a conducive space for traders and businesses while contributing to local economic growth and job creation.

Prior to the Accountability Series, the Regional Minister, together with his delegation and led by the DCE, paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of Nanton, Naa Bawa. The visit provided an opportunity for the Minister to formally introduce his delegation and brief the traditional leader on the purpose of his visit, particularly his participation in the Accountability Series and engagement with residents on development programmes and the utilisation of public resources.

Hon. Ali Adolf John informed Nanton Naa Bawa that the accountability engagement was consistent with government’s commitment to strengthening transparency, citizen participation and accountability at the local level. He also briefed the Paramount Chief on government’s efforts to provide increased resources to MMDAs through the District Assemblies Common Fund and stressed the need for such resources to be efficiently utilised to implement projects that responded directly to community needs.

The Minister further briefed the Paramount Chief on the government’s 24-hour Economy initiative and the implementation of the 24-hour Economy Market projects, emphasising the importance of proper supervision and timely completion. He called for continued collaboration among the traditional authority, District Assembly and other stakeholders to ensure that government interventions achieved their intended objectives.

Following the Accountability Series, the Northern Regional Minister, together with his delegation and led by the DCE, embarked on an inspection and commissioning tour of selected development projects across the district. The exercise was aimed at assessing the progress, quality and impact of ongoing projects while formally commissioning completed projects for use by beneficiary communities.

During the inspection, the Minister and his team assessed the level of work on selected ongoing projects, identified challenges and engaged contractors and relevant stakeholders on measures required to ensure their timely completion. He reiterated the need for contractors to adhere to agreed specifications, timelines and quality standards and tasked the Nanton District Assembly to strengthen project monitoring and supervision to prevent unnecessary delays and ensure value for money.

The inspection also provided the Minister with an opportunity to interact directly with contractors, local officials and project beneficiaries to better understand the progress, challenges and impact of the various interventions. He stressed that collaboration among the Assembly, traditional authorities, communities, contractors and other stakeholders was essential to ensuring that development projects were delivered on time and to the expected standards.

Hon. Adolf commended the Nanton District Assembly for organising the Accountability Series, describing it as an important platform for strengthening transparency, democratic participation and responsive local governance. He encouraged the Assembly to continue providing regular opportunities for citizens to ask questions, express concerns and receive updates on the utilisation of public resources and implementation of development programmes.

The Regional Minister reaffirmed government’s commitment to supporting MMDAs with the necessary resources and policy direction to accelerate development, while urging local authorities to demonstrate efficiency, accountability and commitment in translating government investments into meaningful improvements in the lives of citizens. The Nanton engagements ultimately reinforced the importance of accountable governance, traditional authority, citizen participation and effective project supervision in advancing sustainable development in the district.