The Ministry of Information, in collaboration with the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), hosted a Town Hall Meeting and Exhibition under the theme “Regional Revitalisation: Government’s Commitment to Growth, Development, and Prosperity” on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at the Teachers Hall in Accra. This event is part of the Ministry’s mandate to engage citizens and inform them about government policies and initiatives.

The event featured a display of projects from 2020, coordinated by the Twenty-Nine (29) MMDAs Coordinating Directors in the region. Photographs of these projects were printed on flexi banners in A2 size (24’ x 16’), each accompanied by captions detailing the projects’ significance and progress.

An overview of major government policies and programmes was also presented at the Auditorium. The Town Hall Meeting provided a decentralized platform for community members and leaders to gather, discuss, and address progress and emerging issues at both the Central and Local Government levels.

Objectives

The primary objective of the Town Hall Meeting was to assess the impact of government policies on the people of the region. The event aimed to: Evaluate the level of citizen understanding of government programmes within the Municipal Assemblies in the region. Ensure that major government policies and programmes are widely understood by the citizenry through such gatherings. Bring governance closer to the people by informing them about opportunities to discuss progress and emerging issues at both Central and Local Government levels, enabling their active participation. Update the nation on key government policies and programmes and gather public feedback on these initiatives. Strengthen effective and healthy working relationships with key stakeholders to ensure the prudent implementation of government policies and programmes at the central and district levels.

Participation

The Town Hall Meeting saw participation from representatives of the 29 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Greater Accra Region including the La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly (LaDMA). These included Municipal Chief Executives (MCEs), Coordinating Directors, Planning Officers, Information Officers, traditional leaders, Assembly Members, Unit Committee Members, Heads of Departments, and other key stakeholders. The event was also attended by the Minister of Information, the finance minister, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, the Diplomatic Corps and the Greater Accra Regional Director of the Information Services Department, along with staff from various ministries.

Participant Expectations and Feedback

Participants shared their views on the policies discussed and expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to engage with government representatives. One participant acknowledged past mistakes driven by partisanship but expressed newfound confidence in the government’s direction and a commitment to avoiding such errors in the future. Another participant thanked the organizers, noting the importance of resourcing the NPP communication teams and Municipal Information Officers (MMDIOs) to effectively disseminate information to the public. A renewed purpose toward supporting government policies was also expressed, with one participant highlighting their motivation to campaign for the government’s programmes. Participants also emphasized the importance of avoiding narrow-minded politics in pursuing national development. The Town Hall Meeting concluded with a shared commitment among participants to continue supporting the government’s efforts toward growth, development, and prosperity in the Greater Accra Region.