Introduction

The development process is directly linked with the institutional and administrative set up in the district.  This section examines the administrative and institutional framework of the District Assembly and Non-Governmental Organizations contributions in the planning process.

Administrative And Institutional Development
Structure and Function

The Jomoro Municipal Assembly was established in…………, under the then ruling Supreme Military Council (SMC).  In 1988, under the Local Government Law 1988, (PNDC Law 207), its boundaries were redefined.

The Municipal Assembly is the highest administrative and political authority in the district.  Under Section 10 of the Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462) the Assembly exercises deliberative, administrative and executive functions in the district.  It is responsible for the overall development of the district.  Its functions includes:

• Formulating and executing plans, programmes and strategies for the effective mobilization of the districts resources;
• Promoting ad supporting productive activity and social development in the district;
• Initiating programmes for the development of basic infrastructure;
• Developing and managing human settlements and the environment;
• Ensuring ready access to courts in the district for the promotion of justice; and
• Co-ordinating, integrating and harmonizing the execution of programmes and projects under approved development plans for the district and other development programmes promoted or carried out by Ministries, Departments, Public corporations and other Statutory bodies and non-governmental organization in the district

The political and executive head of the Assembly is the District Chief Executive.  Under section 20(2) of the Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462), he is the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the District Assembly.  He is responsible for the day-to-day performance of the executive and administrative functions of the Assembly and the supervision of its various departments.

The Executive Committee, under Section 21 of the Local Government Act 1993 (Act 462), exercises the executive and co-ordinating functions of the District Assembly.  It functions include:

1.     Co-ordinating plans and programmes of the Sub-Committees and submitting these as comprehensive plans of action to the District Assembly;

2.     mplementing resolutions of the District Assembly;

3.     Overseeing the administration of the District in collaboration with the office of the District Chief Executive;

4.     Recommending to the District Assembly, the economic, social, spatial and human settlement policies relating to the development of the district;

5.     Initiating and co-ordinating the process of planning, programming, budgeting and implementation; and

6.     Monitoring and Evaluating all policies, programmes and projects in the district.

7.     The Executive Committee of the Jomoro Municipal Assembly, in compliance with section 24(1) of the Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462) has established the following sub-committees:

8.     Finance & Administration;

9.      Works;

10.  Social Service;

11.  Development Planning;

12.  Justice & Security;

13.  Agriculture & Environment and

14.   Disaster Prevention & Management

Under section 25 (i & ii) of Act 462, every sub-committee is responsible for collating and deliberating on issues relevant to it and shall submit its recommendations to the Executive Committee of the Assembly.  The existing organizational structure of the Jomoro District Assembly is shown in……………..

The Assembly, in the performance of its functions is, however, limited by the following problems:
•    Inadequate office/staff accommodation;
•    Lack of qualified personnel in some departments; and
•    Lack of equipment for information storage and retrieval

At the bottom of the Political Structure of the Assembly are the Area Councils.  The Jomoro Municipal Assembly has 10 Area Councils.  They are the following:

•    Half Assini Area Council with headquarters at Half Assini
•    Takinta Area Council with headquarters at Takinta
•    Gwenye Area Council with headquarters at Jaway Wharf
•    Newtown Area Council with headquarters at Newtown
•    Bonyere Area council with headquarters at Bonyere
•    Mpataba Area Council with headquarters at Mpataba
•    Tikobo No. 1 Area Council with headquarters at Tikobo No. 1
•    Tikobo No. 2 Area Council with headquarters at Tikobo No. 2
•    Elubo Area Council with headquarters at Elubo
•    Beyin Area Council with headquarters at Beyin

They are essentially rallying points for promoting programmes and policies to support the development of the Assembly.

Unit Committees

Unit Committees form the base structure of the New Local Government System.  They are expected to play important roles in educating and organizing communal labour, revenue mobilization, ensuring environmental cleanliness and implementation and monitoring of self-help projects.  There are 113 Unit Committees in the district.

Non-Governmental/International Organizations

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are a group of individuals or social organizations which pull their resources together for development.  They are neither controlled nor funded by the government, but operate within the national and district development framework, as well as laid down regulations of the area within which they operate.

In Ghana, the NGO fraternity includes a wide spectrum of organizations (both local and international), ranging from single community welfare groups to churches based multi-community NGOs with relief or a strong development orientation.  The role NGOs are playing in the socio-economic development of the Jomoro District cannot be over-emphasized.

The under listed Non-Governmental Organizations are operating in the district:

• COSPE
• SNV
• Ghana wildlife Society

COSPE stands for Co-operation for the Development of Emerging Countries.  It is a non-profit organization and recognized as such by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Union.

COSPE plans and implements the following programmes in the Jomoro Municipal:  Development of small businesses and income generating activities in collaboration with the Assembly, NBSSI, Association of Small Scale Industries (ASSI) to reduce poverty

It collaborates with the Jomoro Municipal Assembly and the Western Nzema Traditional Council in establishing and managing the Nzemamanle Mechanical Training Centre at Bawia.

SNV – It is a Dutch NGO working in Ghana to reduce poverty,
It provides advisory services to partners working in Local Governance, Natural Resource Management and Private Sector Development to improve efficiency and effectiveness toward poverty reduction.

In the Jomoro Municipal, the NGO provides support in the preparation of the Medium Term Development Plan.