Mr George Kyei-Baffuor, a local governance advocate says the best mode for communities to address crime in their midst is to report the offenders to the police for prosecution. He was however, quick to blame the inability of law enforcement agencies to ensure speedy adjudication of cases brought before them as a major setback.
Speaking to Johnnie Hughes on Community Connect on 3FM 92.7, Mr Baffour said it is often perceived that people are able to pervert justice and therefore some will want to take the law into their hands, “even though this is clearly an affront to the law.”
He urged communities to cooperate with the police and do the needful. The Show was dedicated to providing an insight into steps available to members of the communities to seek redress and get justice, instead of exacting instance justice.
Mr Baffour condemned the killing of the military officer, saying though the people acted with emotions, they should have allowed the laid down principles to come into place.
On the role of chiefs in the local government system, even though not defined, he said their roles are situated in their adjudication of some local cases, stressing that this should be a way by which they can influence change.
He listed the inability of chiefs to play a major role in the local governance system as a bane on developing society to the fullest even though the chiefs are strong people in their communities.
“The local government system has an inherent system for accountability, but you cannot hold our chiefs to that kind of public accountability as per their roles in society,” he noted.
He called for a strict application of the processes of engagement between the people and the assemblies in achieving their goals and targets.
“It is true that they face serious challenges, in meeting their goals and the one-day mass education for them is not what will ensure an efficient working system.”
Mr. Benjamin Manyeh, Presiding Member of the Shai Osudoku Assembly admitted that the various Assembly Members, especially the first timers, require systematic education of local government by laws and regulations to avoid the pain of they (assembly members) leading obviously wrong calls.
“…such training is required and must happen. Sometimes it barely happens, but this is a wake-up call to all of us.”
Mr Manyeh said the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs has already initiated an awareness programme to get chiefs and local government officials to respond to problems in their communities appropriately. He however, noted that it is the responsibility of all about the rules and regulations of the country.
By Gideon Sackitey/ Community Connect/3FM 92.7