[ 2015-02-20 ]

Kumasi residents say 'irrelevant' unit Committee system must be scrapped
Some residents in Kumasi are questioning the
relevance of unit committee polls in the current
Ghanaian politics.

They say voting for unit committee members whose
mandates are undefined in the realm of politics
make the Local Government elections unattractive.


The Electoral Commission has set March 3, 2014 for
the election of assembly members and unit
committee members.

But ahead of this, some residents in Kumasi are
raising concerns over the relevance of unit
committee members and the role they play in local
government politics.

Electorates say they are not ready to cast votes
for unit committee members due to difficulties in
assessing their performance.

Unit committee members are expected to complement
the work of assembly members in decision making
and implementation of projects in electoral
areas.

Luv News enquiries however suggest most unit
committee members are oblivious of their duties.

Responding to the role of the Unit Committee,
Emmanuel Owusu, Unit Committee Chairman for
Adukrom electoral area told Luv News the duty of
committee is to manage the use of land in their
respective electoral areas.

Though he admitted members of the Unit Committee
are ignorant of their duties, Mr. Owusu blamed
authorities for failing to spell out duties of the
unit committee.

Unlike assembly members, unit committee members
have been relegated to the background despite
their supportive roles in grassroots development.

Aside low coverage, their woes continue to deepen
after every election as they remain powerless and
redundant over the four-year period.

“We are there to assist the assembly members. So
at least there should be programs or workshops
intermittently to tell us what our duties are.
Sometimes that is enough motivation to work. But
No one seems to care about us.

“We don’t know our duties so you do whatever
you like and step on people’s toes. That is why
people think we are not important”, worried
Emmanuel Owusu complained.

Unit committee members do not receive remuneration
for work done, but it appears a lot of people are
developing interest as the number of aspirants
increased.

The numbers range between 15 and 30 in electoral
areas in the Ashanti Region.

Thirty-two year old trader, Kwasi Twumasi is among
nineteen other aspirants contesting at the Ayigya
Electoral area in Kumasi.

According to him, he is contesting the position
because he wants to contribute to development.

“If things are going wrong in a community, we
need someone to stand and put things right. That
is why the unit committee exists and that is why I
am contesting,” he said.

Some residents who spoke to Luv Fm in Kumasi are
however unconcerned about the local assembly
elections.

They claim there is no need for them to vote in
this category because it is a waste of time.

“Even the importance of the assemblyman I
don’t know, talk less of unit committee. I would
not waste my time to vote," one said.

While some didn’t know who unit committee
members are, those who knew were unaware of their
duties and were emphatic they would not take part
in the upcoming elections.

Source - Joy News

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