Political and Administrative Structure

This section examines the administrative and institutional framework, the private sector initiatives, security and non-governmental organizations of Atwima Kwanwoma District. .

Atwima Kwanwoma district is responsible for planning, implementing and management of development programmes within the district. The District exercises deliberative, legislative and executive functions. Its mission is ‘to facilitate improvement in quality of life of the people in the district through the provision of basic social amenities and services, and the promotion of socio-economic development within the context of governance’.

There are (48) Assembly members in Atwima Kwanwoma District. The number of assembly members who represent the various electoral areas are thirty three (33) and the government appointees constitute fifteen members (15). Women constitute four (4) of the forty eight (48) Assembly members representing 8.33 percent. The District also has one (1) Constituency with a Member of Parliament who is an ex-officio member.

In accordance with section 21(b) of the Act 462, the Atwima Kwanwoma District Assembly (AKDA) has in place an Executive Committee which is in charge of the administrative and executive functions of the assembly. The Executive Committee is made up of the District Chief Executive, Chairmen/Chairpersons/Conveners of all the Sub-Committees and Town/Area Council Representatives. The Executive Committee is the body that assists the District Chief Executive in the performance of his functions. It deliberates and takes decisions on policy issues in relation to the District and also deliberates on the grievances passed forward by the assembly members and the sub–committees in order to reach a consensus that is fed into the administrative system for implementation.

Under section 20(2) of the Local Government Act, the District Chief Executive is the chairman of the Executive Committee and he presides over the meetings. He is responsible for the day-to-day performance of the executive and administrative functions of the Assembly and the supervision of the various departments. He performs these functions through the District Coordinating Director who is the head of the Administrative machinery in the district, Heads of Department and sub-governmental agencies operating in the District. The District is divided into Town and Area Councils. They are Atwima Area Council and Kwanwoma Area Council with Twedie and Trede as their council seat respectively.

For effective development in the District, there is the need for citizens’ participation in decision making and implementation. In this light, the district involves the people in decision making and implementation through community durbars and others to identify problems and strategies to fulfil the development agenda of the District. Again, civil societies participate in the payment of counterpart funds for projects like water, sanitation and so on. These institutions include the Civil Society Organisation (CSO), Non-governmental Organisation (NGO), Community Based Organisation (CBO) and so on.