Resource constraints, lack of awareness hindering citizens’ participation in local governance — Braimah Sanjage
Braimah Sanjage urges assemblies and citizens to strengthen engagement through regular town hall meetings and active community involvement in development decisions.
The Executive Director of the Centre for Social Mobilization and Sustainable Development (CENSODEV), Braimah Sanjage, has identified inadequate resources at the local assembly level and limited public awareness as major factors hindering effective citizens’ participation in local governance.
According to him, these challenges continue to weaken community involvement in decision-making processes and deny local assemblies valuable contributions from citizens that could help drive development at the grassroots level.
Speaking on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Tuesday, May 19, Sanjage urged citizens not to focus solely on monetary incentives whenever they are invited by local authorities to participate in discussions on development issues.
“Assemblies sometimes complain that they do not have enough resources because when citizens are invited for meetings, some expect ‘Item 13,’ and assemblies may not always have the capacity to provide that,” he said.
While acknowledging the financial constraints faced by district assemblies, Sanjage encouraged local authorities to prioritize the organization of regular town hall meetings and community engagements to promote inclusive local development.
He further stressed the need to bridge the knowledge gap between assemblies and the public, noting that many citizens still have limited understanding of the role of local government and the importance of their involvement in governance processes.
“Some citizens think the assembly is just a block somewhere far from them. They do not understand what the assembly does or the importance of their participation in development deliberations,” he stated.
Sanjage therefore called on both local assemblies and citizens to play active roles in strengthening participatory governance, emphasizing that community involvement remains essential for sustainable local development.
Mike 105.3FM I Navrongo | David Adapuna
