The Hunger Project (THP) Ghana has initiated moves to encourage regular engagements between the Okere District Assembly and a cluster of communities in the Baware Epicentre to maintain a warm relationship for improved services.

Mr Samuel Afrane, the Country Director of THP Ghana, highlighted the importance of regular engagement of local authorities with communities and said the move would help bring the District Assembly closer to the citizens to understand their functions and developmental efforts.

'Such engagements are very important because once you leave the citizens ignorant, it brings a lot of speculation,' he said during the district-community interface meeting.

He said the District Assembly tended to understand citizens clearly and know the problems facing the grassroots through such engagements.

The Baware Epicentre's beneficiary communities include Asasekokor, Abenawia, Otareso, Mankrado, Baware, and Atwetwerede.

The participants outlined the need for mechanised boreholes, gari processing facilities, school desks, reshaping and pre-gravelling of feeder roads, and agricultural extension services.

Mr Providence Nyonyo, the Development Planning Officer, Okere District Assembly, gave the assurance that the key vulnerability issues that emerged during the session would be considered in the 2024 Composite Annual Action Plan.

He pledged the Assembly's commitment to embark on more such engagements as it fosters citizen participation in local governance and ensures compliance with statutory requirements.

Nana Kwame Osae Ofori, the Chief of Baware, expressed gratitude to THP Ghana for implementing the interface and urged the other communities in the district to participate in educational programmes when the assembly reached out to them.

The Hunger Project, a not-for-profit organisation, aims to mobilise rural communities to achieve sustainable progress in health, education, nutrition, and family income.

Source: Ghana News Agency