Tony Palme | Yu Tok | Post- Courier
Priorities of most District Development Authorities (DDA’s) and provincial governments are all mixed up and not in synch with strategic planning.
Development agendas should capture the interest of the vast majority and reflected in budget appropriations as per DDA/PEC meeting minutes resolutions.
Information on funds allocated for respective impact projects, procurement processes, and contract bidding formalities must be made public for accountability purposes, complying with Public Finance Management Act because they’re public information.
Most districts are rural based and as such, one of the priority area of investment to empower people is “agricultural development.”
The strength of the people is firmly rooted in agriculture and that is where the bulk of the population rely on for sustainability.
Most DDA’s and provincial governments neglect the agriculture potential of their districts and provinces where real empowerment can be achieved.
Trend now shifts towards providing “band aid” solutions, “last minute rush up work” and offering temporary favors just to obtain political support.
Building the enabling infrastructure like roads, bridges, rural electrification connectivity, setting up of reliable irrigation systems, building cool storage facilities, introducing simple mechanised farm innovations, and partnering with agriculture agencies and other stakeholders to build capacity of local people are critical strategies that districts andprovinces should embark on for real transformation.
You give a man fish and you feed him for a day but you teach him how to fish and he will fish for life.
Dishing out cash, attending to requests of few in meeting funeral expenses, brideprice, or financing individual needs are not categorised as “tangible services.”
Sadly, majority of our uninformed populace have fallen victim to these political gimmick.
It’s a bad culture that promotes corruption and clouds judgment of people to find good leaders.
DDA’s and provincial governments are not putting money where the mouths are despite having the financial discretion and autonomy to unlock the potential of their people to be self reliant.
People have themselves to blame. Such enlightened awareness must reach the masses. Ward leaders have a responsibility to educate the people on good governance practices and identifying leaders with good qualities.
These are not rocket science but common sense.