APRM ON COURSE

14-10-09 APRM ON COURSE

A Validation Workshop for Kassena-Nankana District African Peer Review Mechanism monitoring and evaluation report has taken place at Navrongo in the Upper East Region. It was being organized by the Governing Council of the National African Peer Review Mechanism (NAPRM). The workshop which is being held for the second time in the district was attended by heads of departments, members of the District Oversight Committee (DOC), members of the APRM Governing council, opinion leaders, District Chief Executives, a section of the public and the press. The Executive Secretary of the NAPRM Governing Council, Mr. Francis Appiah in an address said the APRM which is voluntary self-monitoring process designed to promote the adoption of policies, standards and practices in the promotion of political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated economic integration has chalked successes in Ghana, which is the first African country to successfully complete the five stages of the APRM after African leaders assessed the country’s performance and heards its feedback and action plan. This, according to him was made possible through the sharing of experiences and reinforcement of successful best practices. Mr. Appiah noted that the problem of instability, poverty, misery deprivation, hopelessness among others should not be should not be shouldered by our leaders alone but rather needs collective involvement and participation in local governance at the local level to entice government’s intervention at the national and regional level. He added that though the peer review of Ghana is an important milestone for the improvement of governance in African countries, there is the urgent need to manage the economy prudently, take care of businesses, govern ourselves and also improve our material and standard of living. Mr. Appiah also urged the public. During an open forum some members of the DOC answered questions from participants based on the report of their research findings on democracy and good governance, economic governance and management, corporate governance and socio-economic development. The Public Affairs Officer of the APRM Governing Council, Mrs. Cornelia Amoah in an interview with Radio Ghana, hinted that the validation workshop would cover 20 selected districts in the country, adding that areas, including Mampong , Konongo, Sunyani among a few, have since had their fair share of it.
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