Much as the introduction of the Public forum by the government has been lauded, its patronage and impact, particularly in Kumasi leaves much to be desired. The impact of the event, designed to enable the to public appreciate government policies and programmes and to offer constructive criticisms and suggestions has been negative.

A mass of the people now describe these fora organized after major government policies as a mere ?talk shop? propaganda and public relations gimmick of the NPP because some of them were not given enough publicity, let alone the needed education of the people towards it.

Recently, a director of the NCCE accused the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) and DCEs of working in isolation of the Commission.

Last Monday, during the regional forum on the highlights of the 2004 budget statement, the event was met with empty space at the Prempeh Assembly hall.

Chronicle has gathered that announcement to this effect had been made rather late and the letters of invitation sent to only selected agencies.

Few people were allowed to ask questions at the forum.

A disturbing feature of the forum was that people were stopped from asking questions, which tended to baffle the organizers.

The pretext was that the speakers had sat for long even though Ministers of State, DCEs and departmental heads had been about an hour late to the function.