Mr Gordon Domayele, the Sunyani Municipal Coordinating Director stressed the need to revisit and resuscitate the ancient Ghanaian communal labour spirit of voluntarism, to facilitate the development of local communities.
He said the local community’s over-reliance on the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF), and Internally Generated Fund (IGF) of the Assemblies had not helped in tackling some immediate needs of the local people.
Mr Domyele said this when addressing a stakeholders meeting held at Odumase, the Sunyani West District capital, to facilitate the establishment of the Sunyani West Development Foundation.
It was attended by traditional rulers, assembly members as well as some heads of departments and civil society actors in the Municipality and discussions were centred on development of a constitution as registration of the foundation.
Mr Domyele observed local communities that initiated ‘self-help’ development projects always attracted support from the local Assemblies and development partners.
The establishment of the Community Foundation (CF) is in line with the Ghana Community Foundations Development Project, being implemented by the Pure Trust Social Investors Foundation, with funding from the MOTT Foundation of the United States.
CF is a registered independent public charity or non-profit organisation voluntarily established by the people living in a geographical area to contribute to the improving the quality of lives in the area.
Mr Domyele said development remained a collective partnership between the people, local Assemblies and the central government, hence the need for communities to take the lead in development processes.
“When this is done local communities would be imbibed with a collective sense of ownership, protect and maintain infrastructure development for the benefit of all.
“In fact I welcome this project because as local communities we have to find alternative ways of solving our own specific problems than always over-relying on the District Assemblies and the central government”, he said.
Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regional Coordinator of the Ghana Community Foundations Development Project emphasised establishment of the foundation was necessary, saying it made it easier for local communities to put into action their charitable intentions in the without having to set up individual organisations themselves.
He regretted there still existed development gaps particularly in the health and education in the Municipality, hence the need for the establishment of the foundation to help tackle such challenges including provision of potable drinking water.
The meeting, however set-up an eight-member working committee to facilitate processes for the registration, and development of the Sunyani West Development Foundation.
Smynewsroom
