Assembly member demands citizen involvement in fee-fixing process

 

Mr Ebenezer Nartey, the Assembly Member for the Zongo Electoral Area in the Ada East District, has called for greater transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in the 2026 fee-fixing and composite budget process of district assemblies across the country. 

Mr Nartey, who also serves as chairman of the Ada Foah Area Council and a member of both the Finance and Administration and Social Services Committees of the assembly, said it was time for assemblies to “move from simply passing figures to delivering real development results.”

 “Assemblies must not just pass figures — we must pass hope,” he stated.

In a statement issued at Ada Foah, he stressed that the fee fixing and budget process should not be treated as a routine administrative activity but as a social contract between local government and citizens.

“Every rate and every fee we approve affects the market woman, the driver, the artisan, and the youth,” he said, adding that “We must therefore ensure that before fixing fees or approving budgets, the people understand the purpose, the benefits, and how their contributions will improve their communities.”

Mr Nartey urged all district assemblies to publish simplified versions of their 2026 Composite Budgets and Fee Fixing Schedules on notice boards, social media, and other community platforms to improve public awareness and accountability.

 “Transparency begins with information. When citizens know how much revenue is expected and how it will be spent, they become more willing to pay and to participate,” he emphasised.

 He also called on assemblies to ensure that their 2026 budgets prioritise essential community development projects such as sanitation, drainage systems, education, water facilities, and local roads, rather than focusing heavily on administrative overheads.

He advocated stronger oversight on project implementation and improved monitoring mechanisms to ensure value for money.

The Assemblyman proposed that assemblies should introduce Quarterly Public Accountability Forums, where the District Chief Executive (DCE), Coordinating Director, and Finance Officer present expenditure reports and progress updates to citizens.

“We are not just approving figures — we are shaping lives. We are not just fixing rates — we are fixing trust; this year, let us make the 2026 fee-fixing and budget process transparent, inclusive, and development-driven,” he said.

Mr Nartey called for responsible and people-centred leadership as assemblies prepared for the upcoming budget and fee-fixing sessions.

Source: GNA