The Tamale metropolitan Assembly has denied recent media reports that it has failed to attend accountability forum organized by the Northern Development Society (NORDESO), local governance NGO, based in Tamale.
NORDESO is one of the major stakeholders of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Social Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability project, (SPEFA) unit.
On Thursday September 19, 2013, NORDESO organized a forum for Civil Society Organizations, SPEFA Journalists network, persons with disabilities and the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly.
However, after hours of waiting for TMA officials, the officials were not able to attend the forum. This angered the CSOs who accused the TMA of dodging to account to the people of Tamale.
But at a town hall meeting on Friday, the assembly said it would never boycott any forum to account its stewardship to the people of Tamale.
The Tamale metropolitan Coordinating Director, Alhaji Sheihu Awudu Abdul-Kadri, said residents have every right to seek information about the operations of the assembly.
The town hall meeting, according to the assembly, was to provide an avenue for community members to ask questions bothering the development of their various communities in the Tamale metropolis.
It brought together heads of various departments, some traditional rulers, assembly members and a team from the social accountability unity of the ministry of local government and rural development in Accra.
The Tamale metropolitan assembly last held its town hall meeting in 2009, which should have been preceded by regular periodic meetings with the people in the metropolis.
The ministry of Local government and rural development as part of its efforts in strengthening local governance urged assemblies to organize town hall meetings periodically to enable the people know what the assemblies are using their taxes for.
Some participants, however, expressed concerns about the venue of the town hall meeting and suggested that the assembly change the venue from the Sports stadium to any convenient place. According to them, the hall has an echo making it very difficult for participants to hear.