The Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly (CCMA) has commenced a two-day stakeholders’ consultative meeting to review its existing By-Laws.
The meeting is to ensure that the identified stakeholders including the security agencies, market women, Assembly Members, religious leaders, the media among others participate in the process and make necessary inputs for effective and participatory decision-making in accordance with section 40 and 41 of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936).
Speaking to ATLFMNEWS at the sideline of the start of the consultative meeting, the Head of Metro Environmental Health, Iddrisu Shanni said the old by-laws were enacted based on the local governance Act 462 which has been repealed and replaced with Act, 936.
According to him, there is the need to review the old Act to be in line with the current Act.
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“For instance, the charges in the old and the new Acts are different. So, now the minimum for the new Act is between 100 and 250 penalty unit which was far lower in the old Act. So, if we do not review today to be in sync with it legally, the assembly may not be accurate with what it is supposed to be doing” he said.
Mr. Shanni indicated that at the end of review process which has to go through various stages, the idea is to empower the assembly to be able to enforce the laws to be able to guide, and to correct.
“So, it will help all of us both as an assembly and as community members or stakeholders to do all things right,” he continued.
Mr. Iddrisu Shanni also cautioned the public against any attacks on officers of the Assembly while carrying out their constitutional duties of enforcing the by-laws.
He, therefore, called for their support in ensuring the proper implementation of the laws.
Mr. Iddrisu Shani said anyone who go against the officers of the assembly in executing their enforcement mandate is culpable of facing similar punishment as the culprit.
He added that CCMA explore all other avenues aimed at educating and reaching out to the people within the Metropolis to help them gain understanding and appreciate the enacted by-laws.
Source: Eric Sekyi/ATLFMNEWS
