Communication is a major instrument in development. Unfortunately, this aspect of planning is lacking at the local level even though there are government institutions tasked with the responsibility of disseminating government policies, programmes and plans to citizens. Communication is a means of informing citizens and all stakeholders of their roles in the implementation of the plan.

Section 46, sub-section 3 of the Local Government Act, 1993, Act 462 established the District Planning and Co-ordinating Unit (DPCU) to assist the District Assembly to execute designated planning functions.

To fulfil its M&E function, the DPCU will be responsible among other to facilitate the dissemination and creation of public awareness on the National Development Policy Framework 2014-2017 which is the precursor to the DMTDP, the Annual Progress Reports and other documents from NDPC and District Assembly to all stakeholders at the district and Sub-district level.

The dissemination strategy in reaching out to as many people will include but not limited to the following techniques.

 Panel discussion

 Holding meeting (Town Hall) with traditional rulers, representatives of Area Councils, Opinion Leaders and Civil Society Organization.

 Holding community meetings at central location throughout the district.

 In addition to these strategies, the DPCU will ensure that copies of the reports will be forwarded to the Area Council RPCU, NDPC, and other MDAs and stakeholders.

The DPCU will also initiate the constitution of editorial board for the quarterly publication of News letters on the district activities. Feedbacks from the various fora with stakeholders and development partners

 Data will be collected and analysed and used as input to inform future plan formulation

Beneficiaries of development activities as well as those who pay fees of different types must consistently be engaged to explain how the District Assembly intends to utilize resources available to it over the plan period. They must also be educated on why they need to pay fees to the District.

Representatives of the people of the District (ie Assembly members) are enjoined by law to hold regular public fora for their electorates. The job of Assemblyman is entirely voluntary and so they lack

 the necessary resources to carry out their mandate of constant interaction with the electorate. It is to fulfil this void that the communication plan is prepared to enable the statutory departments under the District Assembly carry out effective education on policies and programs of the Assembly.

This aspect of the plan outlines ways by which the Ada West District Assembly will disseminate information on the programmes, projects and activities to create awareness. It is designed that communication on the plan and its contents will be undertaken throughout the plan period.

Marketing the Plan

In order to get adequate funding and support for the plan, steps should be taken to make it at various levels for people to appreciate what it intend to achieve. The marketing of the plan should be organized and co-ordinated at the following levels:

· District Level: There should be sufficient public education and community levels. This will allow stakeholders and key-players at all these levels to make the necessary inputs, reviews, evaluations and monitoring.

· Regional and National levels: At RCC and National levels, the plans should be marketed to other Ministries, Department and Agencies who can get attracted to support the implementation of the plan

· International level: Development partners, Embassies, International Donor Organizations etc. should be involved in the implementation of the plan. This will mean making the plan and areas of collaboration with DP available to them at the Embassy level.