The Ministry of Information in collaboration with the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council has organised the 2024 town hall meeting and exhibition to engage the citizenry and showcase government project interventions.
The meeting drew all the 33 Municipal and District Chief Executives to Koforidua to showcase the progress of government interventions and the ongoing and completed projects.
The event provided a platform for community engagement and dialogue, enabling discussions on development projects, fostering collaboration, addressing concerns, and ensuring that all stakeholders’ needs are considered.
During the meeting, key government officials, including Ms. Fatimatu Abubakar, Minister of Information; Mr. Seth Kwame Acheampong, Eastern Regional Minister; Dr. Alex Ampaabeng, Deputy Minister of Finance; Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Presidential Advisor on Health; and District/Municipal Chief Executives, presented updates on various projects in the region.
The officials also fielded questions from the chiefs and the public, providing further clarification on issues such as project timelines, budgets, and expected outcomes.
Ms. Abubakar said the Information Ministry aimed to facilitate the free flow of accurate, timely, and reliable information and feedback between the government and the public, promoting socio-economic empowerment and enhanced democratic citizenship.
She stated that for the sake of accountability and to enhance democracy, the Ministry must disseminate information to the local level and decentralize communication.
“Accountability is the bedrock of democracy and it was time to come and show the people of Eastern Region the developmental projects that have been executed within the period of the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,” she said.
Mr. Acheampong, Eastern Regional Minister, highlighted the major achievements in the region, which were social services, roads, governance and security, sports infrastructure, agriculture, economic and tourism.
“We are committed to transparency and accountability, and this town hall engagement provides the platform for open dialogue between the government and the people,” he said.
He reminded the public that the development of eastern region depended on the collective efforts of everyone, and that, “We can continue to work hard to achieve greater milestones for the region.”
Dr. Ampaabeng, the Deputy Minister of Finance, said considering the global headwinds such as the COVID-19 pandemic and wars in other countries that had affected trade activities, the government had done well to bring the country to where it was thus far.
“This is not to say everything is super excellent but bench marking from where we were, how we got there, and how we are upcoming it shows that the country is on the road to the pre-pandemic era,” the Deputy Minister said.
