Ho, Feb. 08, GNA - The Ho Municipal Network of the

Governance Issues Forum (GIF-Net) has called on the Ho

Municipal Assembly to build modern satellite markets and lorry

stations in the Municipality. This is because the existing main market and lorry station

could no longer cope with the rapid growth and expansion of the

municipality and its population.

The Network made the call at a training workshop on public

deliberation and dialogue organised by the Institute of Democratic

Governance (IDEG). The GIF, introduced by the IDEG in 2004, seeks to empower

citizens to participate actively and pro-actively in decision making

and development planning at the local level. The Ho Municipal GIF-Net said the Central Market in the

Municipality had been overstretched to the extent that it could no

longer hold the traders and customers within its 93bowels" resulting

in uncontrollable spill over onto its fringes on market days as

people and vehicles struggle for space. The Network also said the central market and lorry park

lacked essential modern facilities such as toilets and urinals, and

warehouses compelling the traders to build metal containers to

serve as warehouses.

It said the shortcomings of the market tended to undermine

security as some traders stayed on in the market to as late as 2100

hours waiting for porters to convey their wares to their homes. Mr Kofi Tenasu Gbedemah, Ho Municipal Co-ordinator of

GIF-Net, called on the Network members to strengthen their

alliance in order to tap the expertise of each other for

effectiveness. He urged the Network to be relentless in the pursuit of the

community good. Mr Gbedemah also called on the member groups to be

abreast with the Assembly's bye-laws and other legislations on

local governance so as to be able to argue their cases effectively

by building a strong alliance with the Media. Mr Douglas Quartey, Project Officer of GIF at IDEG, said

the best way to empower the citizenry for democratic governance

was to offer them training in the techniques of engaging public

office holders. He said constructive engagement with public office holders

based on knowledge constituted a more potent approach to

getting office holders to be receptive to the demands of the public.