North East Regional Coordinating Council inaugurated
The North East Region has formally inaugurated its Regional Coordinating Council.
The region is one of the six new regions that were created after a successful referendum in 2018.
This gave birth to the Constitutional Instrument, C.I. 116, the legislation setting up the coordinating councils.
The President, Nana Akufo-Addo, handed over the instrument for the North East Region to the overlord of Mamprugu, Nayiri Naa Bohagu Abdullai Mahami Sheriga II on May 15, 2019, at the national inauguration in Accra.
Since then, the North East Region became autonomous from the Northern Region.
Twenty-two (22) regional departments and various committees have been formed with their heads appointed in the North East Region.
The coordinating council has been running even though it has not been formally inaugurated.
In her inaugural speech, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Hajia Alima Mahama said the Regional Coordinating Council is chaired by the Regional Minister with the Regional Coordinating Director serving as the Secretary, whilst the various departmental heads remain members.
She said the key functions of the council are monitoring, coordinating and evaluating the performance of the district assemblies in the region and the resolution of conflicts between the assemblies and other agencies as well as approval of by-laws for the district assemblies.
“You will also be expected to provide district planning authority with information and data necessary to assist the authority in the formulation of their plans. You will coordinate the plans and programmes of district planning authorities and harmonize the plans and programmes with national development policies, priorities for consideration and approval for the commission.”
The Minister also urged the members to look into providing the towns in the region with a good spatial plan as the region begins to witness development.
Hajia Alima, therefore, encouraged the members to work hard to project the interest of the coordinating council.
She entreated them to mobilize their Internally Generated Funds (IGF) effectively.
“Ensure that you collect your rates, especially property rates. I know there are a lot of problems because our houses are not such that you can get enough but those that you can collect, you collect”, she urged the members.
The North East Regional Minister, Solomon Buar said the delay in the inauguration of the Coordinating Council was partly due to the absence of the Regional House of Chiefs in the North East which by status, are members of the council.
According to him, the region has a vast potential of growth raging from agriculture, tourism and commerce.
The Minister mentioned particularly the construction of Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam which when completed will improve the economic fortunes of the people as well as solve part of the annual flooding in the region.
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