Local Development : Improved Population Involvement Needed

Community development warrants the participation of every party for efficient results. Transferring resources and competences to local authorities, as stated in the General Code of Regional and Local Authorities is indeed geared at accelerating the decentralisation and development process of communities. Indeed, Section 17 of the legal document states that the State shall devolve to local authorities the powers necessary for their economic, social, health, educational, cultural and sports development.  In simple terms, the competences and resources transferred to the local authorities are to facilitate community development which will improve the living conditions of the population. This becomes more effective when the population is involved in the process. As a result, projects will be executed within the stipulated timeframe and they will be projects that meet the aspirations of the people. 
According to a recent observation by the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator for the North West Region, citizens are not fully informed on the choice of projects being executed in their various localities and do not know that their participation in regional and council affairs is a matter of duty. Citizens’ participation also constitutes an important part of the annual report of the institution on the state of relations between elected local authorities and users of the different services.  In some cases, as explained by certain citizens, they just see a building being constructed or a road being tarred. The population sometimes only gets to know the building being constructed is either a school, health centre of a market when finishing works are being done. This implies the population is not sufficiently involved in the project, either due to the fact that Council officials embark on the implementation of a project without consulting the population, inadequate sensitisation on community projects, and lukewarm attitude exhibited by the population vis-à-vis community projects. 
Undoubtedly, when the population actively participates in community projects being executed by the Council, it in...