Details

KAF moves to integrate the informal sector into Ghana’s Decentralised system.

Ghana's decentralisation system has put structures in place where local governments are expected to be the final decision-making bodies on issues of local governance and development in their respective districts. In spite of this noble objective, the level of people from the informal sector involved in the District Assemblies and Unit Committees at both the urban and rural communities are discouraging. These categories of people made up of petty traders, small scale business executives and self employed as well as small and medium scale contractors have been alienated from the governance structures, although taxes are religiously taken from them. Decisions made by Assemblies which affect their daily livelihood are taken without any consultation or input from these citizens. This gap often results in problems of policy implementation as results of resistance from the target people. To avoid this problem, it is imperative to involve all stakeholders in the management of the Assemblies. It is based on this conviction that, KAF is organising sensitisation workshop for the members of the informal sector to participate in the upcoming district level elections in August 2006.

The specific objectives of the workshops are as follows:

• Create the needed forum and platform to discuss and identify challenges and problems which hinder the informal sector from participating the affairs and management of the district.
• Provide participants with the requisite skills and tools which are required for the participation in the local governance in their respective communities.
• Bridge the gap between the national and local with emphasis on mechanism of encouraging young and enterprising businessmen to participate in politics at least at the community level.

These workshops are slated as follows:

1. 31st May to 2nd June 2006 for the business community in Ashanti Region- Kumasi
2. 5th-7th June 2006 for the business community in the Brong-Ahafo Region

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A COMMUNIQUE

ISSUED AT THE END OF A WORDSHOP ON LOCAL GOVERNANCE ORGANIZED IN KUMASI, ASHANTI REGION

FROM 31ST MAY – 2ND JUNE 2006

Preamble

We members of the informal sector from Atasomanso, Pataase, Atonsu, South Sintreso and Santaase having gathered here in the conference hall of Marigold Lodge in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, from 31st May to 2nd June 2006 and having been educated and sensitized on issues of local governance declare that we were sensitized on the following topics under the broad theme, “The Informal Sector and Local Governance”:

• Decentralization in Ghana: A Vital Ingredient for Democracy and Development
• The Informal Sector as the Backbone of the National Economy
• Women in the Informal Sector: Prospects and Challenges for Participation in Local governance
• Strategies for Winning Elections: A Practical Perspective

We also had the opportunity to ask questions and make individual contributions thus enabling us to better appreciate the topics discussed by the resource persons. We are also able to contextualize the issues raised by the resources persons to fit our own situation.

We further declare that:

We are ready to embrace the concept of decentralization in Ghana as members of the informal sector and will adhere to the right business practices for our own good and that of the national economy while actively participating in local governance. In pursuit of this,

• We will share the knowledge acquired here with our colleagues who could not participate in this workshop
• We will seek education on tax payment and pay our taxes promptly
• We will contest the imminent district level elections in August 2006 and support more women in this direction

DONE THIS 1ST DAY OF JUNE, 2006 IN KUMASI, ASHANTI REGION