Apam (C/R), Jan. 31, GNA - People elected to the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies are "assembly members" and not assembly men or women", as they are being called.

Mr Frank Appiah, Central Regional Accountant for the Ghana Education Service (GES) sounded the reminder at an orientation course for members of the Gomoa District Assembly at Apam.

Mr Appiah, a resource person noted that parliamentarians were not called "parliament men or women" but members of parliament. The three-day orientation was organized nationwide by the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, to build the capacity of the members of the assemblies on local governance. Topics treated included the Ghanaian Local Government System, Legislative Framework for Local Government, the function of assemblies, the roles and functions of assembly members, the roles of assembly members in revenue generation and the assembly as a planning and budgeting entity.

Mr George Holdbrook and M Nuamah Hagan were the other members of the resource team.

Miss Evelyn Botwey, a government appointee in an observation said the course had corrected the misconception they had that development of an area was the responsibility of elected assembly members alone. "I have now known that we need to work as a team to improve the lot of our people", she stated.

Nana Paintsiwaa Panyin, queenmother of Gomoa Adaa also a government appointee said she had been made to know that chiefs and queenmothers were not to attend the assembly's functions alone but also had to get deeply involved in all its activities.

"I have got to know that parts of fines imposed by chiefs in arbitrations should go to the assembly". Mr Fred Oscar Abban, the Presiding Member described the course as successful.

Mr Ebo Koomson, Course Prefect, appealed to the government to consider some remuneration for assembly members.