Traditional ruler calls for abolition of Unit Committees
Okatakyi Amanfi VII, Omanhen of the Asebu Traditional Council, has called for abolition of the Unit Committee system of decentralization at the grassroots level.
He said the abolition was necessary because the committees were “impotent, ineffective and irrelevant” and did not achieve the goals for which they were formed.
Okatakyi Amanfi said this at a durbar to commemorate the 9th Apayamkese festival at Asebu in the Central Region.
Okatakyi Amanfi, who is also the vice president of the Central Regional House of Chiefs, said it was time the government took a second look at the decentralization system at the grassroots and introduced the changes needed to give traditional councils greater role to play in governance.
He attributed poor sanitation and general breakdown of discipline in the country to the failure of the local government that existed at the grassroots level.
He said it would be appropriate to put in place a system that would incorporate traditional councils and put traditional authorities in charge of development at the community level.
Touching on Education, Okatakyi Amanfi said the institution of the “Amanfi VII Educational Fund” had led to the establishment of the Asebuman Senior High School and appealed to the government to consider including the new school on the list of community senior high schools.
He expressed worry about poor conditions in rural schools across the country and said the conditions in city schools were constantly improving as rural schools deteriorated making it uncommon for schools in rural areas to score zero per cent in the BECE.
Dr. Henry Seidu Daanaa, the Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, expressed his happiness at the peace that existed among the chiefs in the Central Region.
He said chieftaincy played an important role in the present day set up and appealed to all to preserve the good side of chieftaincy.
Dr Daanaa presented four bottles of schnapps, 10 cartons of alcoholic drinks and a cash of 2,000 Ghana cedis to the chiefs as the government’s support to the celebration of the festival.
Mr Christian Anthony Dadzie, Member of Parliament for the area, said all was set for the start of the construction of a block of three class rooms at the new site for Asebuman Senior High School in January next year.
Mr. Robert Kutin, the Central Regional Chairman of the NPP, presented two bottles of schnapps and 1,500 Ghana cedis as the party’s contribution to the celebration.
Source: GNA