The Hunger Project (THP) Ghana, in collaboration with the German Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ), has initiated a project titled ‘Strengthening sub-district institutions for community-led public services in Ghana.’
The BMZ provided funding support for the project that aims to enhance the capabilities of five epicentre beneficiaries, spanning across five districts in the Eastern region.
These centres include the Baware epicentre located in the Okere, Dominase situated in Fanteakwa, the Akpo-Akpamu in Yilo Krobo, the Apaw-Wawase in the Ayensuano and the Konkoney in the Upper Manya Krobo districts respectively.
Speaking to members of various communities in the Konkoney epicentre, Mr Samuel Afrane, the Country Director of THP Ghana, said the organisation has set its sights to ensure the promotion of community-led development plans and enhance the responsiveness, transparency, and accountability of local government authorities.
He said the project aimed to involve citizens in rural communities in the decision-making process on the district assembly’s Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP) and the annual action plan to ensure that they were not left out in the assemblies’ planning processes.
He said THP had fostered interactions between district assemblies and communities to grant citizens recognition within the assemblies and enhance their confidence in engaging in deliberations whenever necessary.
Therefore, ‘I urge both parties, the assembly and the communities, not to approach each other with their needs only during election periods but to have discussions every quarter of the year to ensure progress,’ he said.
Mr Charles Dzamesi, the Project Officer of the Konkoney Epicentre, said the centre serves 11 communities, which include Nyankumasi, Kwapanase, Akontaa, Akumersu, Akutey, Nyonyoem, Fefe, Ayensu, Abesre, Afuafie, and Konkoney.
He explained that each epicentre encompassed various facilities, including a conference hall, vocational training centre, food bank, clinic, nurses’ quarters, and a bank.
Mr Albert Abbey, the Head of the Planning Unit at the Upper Manya Krobo district assembly, highlighted the significance of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936) in promoting popular participation.
He said the assembly was currently implementing a comprehensive plan encompassing various key areas, including social development, economic development, the environment, infrastructure, and human development, among others.
The Hunger Project, a worldwide non-profit organisation, is dedicated to achieving the long-term eradication of global hunger through strategic initiatives.
The mission of the organisation is to enable both individual and collective action to bring about transformative changes to the systems of inequity that give rise to hunger and perpetuate its existence.

Source: Ghana News Agency