A sensitisation programme has been organised in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital, to deepen understanding of the country’s local governance system.

In attendance were schoolchildren and teachers, local governance experts, representatives from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), assembly members and the general public.

The participating children demonstrated their grasp of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), during a mock Assembly session. They also displayed their knowledge of the democratic system in the country.

The participants called for the replication of the initiative nationwide to enhance understanding of local governance.

The programme was organised under the auspices of a project, Social Inclusion and Accountability, being implemented by Savings and Development Dialogue (SDD Ghana), an NGO dedicated to empowering young people and those facing barriers in civic and economic spaces, with funding from STAR Ghana Foundation.

Background

Giving a background to the initiative, the Executive Director of SDD Ghana, Dr Ibrahim Yakubu Nandom, said it involved working with a network of volunteers and 47 children in Children’s Assemblies in the beneficiary district, Tolon.

He said the children were coached by volunteers, known as governance coaches.

Impact

The District Chief Executive of Tolon, Braimah Seidu, said the programme had an impact on children’s confidence, which he said would push them up the educational ladder.

He commended SDD Ghana for the initiative and urged it to collaborate with other agencies to expand the work to more districts.

Scaling up

The Board Chairman of SDD Ghana, Dr Sadat Salifu, described the project as a valuable experiment that required scaling up to reach more children.

He said their position was informed by citizens’ experiences with local governance dating back to 1988. He expressed concern about citizens’ understanding of local governance and called on everyone to embrace active citizenship by volunteering their time, skills and expertise to make a tangible difference in their communities.

Sustainable development

A governance expert and senior lecturer at the University for Development Studies, Dr Chrysogonus Anab, highlighted the crucial role of strong local structures in sustaining development initiatives.

He also commended SDD Ghana and STAR Ghana Foundation for their impactful intervention.

A representative of STAR Ghana Foundation, Frederick Yenbuar Nuuri-Teg, said the foundation was committed to collaborating with CSOs and other stakeholders to harness the power of volunteerism for positive change and development.

The Executive Director of RAINS, a Tamale-based NGO, Mohammed Hardi Tijani, who chaired the event, advised the children to take their studies equally seriously to enable them to contribute meaningfully to the development of the country.

On behalf of the governance coaches, Issah Dokurugu encouraged citizens to shift their mindset from “What can the country do for me?” to “What can I do for my country?”