Bridging Divides: A Triumph of Unity in Ghana's Upper West Region
In December 2023, Ghana successfully conducted District Assembly elections across the nation. In Ghana, district assemblies form the backbone of local governance, overseeing district development, resource mobilization, infrastructure creation, and law enforcement, thereby ensuring the concerns of even the most remote areas reach the national government.
Upon their election, District Assembly members must select Presiding Members tasked with running the day-to-day district operations. However, since the elections, political infighting, primarily stemming from inter-party disagreements, has paralyzed half of the 11 districts in the Upper West Region of Northern Ghana, and District Assembly members were unable to make progress. The conflicts centered around each political party wanting their representatives to be elected.
In May 2024, SAVE-Ghana, a local NGO and partner of USAID/OTI’s Littorals Regional Initiative (LRI) program, stepped in and successfully resolved the political impasse. With OTI support, SAVE-Ghana organized dialogue sessions, where each political party had an opportunity to express their concerns. An Assembly Member noted, "We are in an election year, and both factions are determined to win at all levels." This statement highlighted the high stakes and the intense atmosphere.
However, SAVE-Ghana convinced the conflicting parties to come together for discussions by emphasizing their shared goal of supporting development activities in their districts and facilitating an environment that encouraged open communication, mutual respect, and understanding. This approach helped to break down barriers, enabling the parties to see beyond their differences and work towards their common objectives.
This internal political dispute posed a significant obstacle to SAVE-Ghana's mission. Their goal is to promote peace and inclusivity in the region, and a key part of this mission involved conducting orientation for newly elected officials. The inability to elect these officials due to the political impasse directly impeded this mission.
However, OTI and SAVE-Ghana’s intervention led to a remarkable display of unity and compromise in four out of the five districts – Sissala East, Nandom, Wa Municipal, Wa East and Daffiama Bussie Isa. In these districts, differences were put aside and officials were successfully elected.
In a significant compromise, Assembly members agreed that one party would hold the Presiding Member position, while the other parties would head the sub-committees. This proposition was accepted in Sissala East, demonstrating a significant willingness to prioritize shared interests over personal agendas. An assembly member from Kong noted, "If we had held a meeting or conversation like this earlier, we could have resolved our differences and elected a PM."
This achievement is part of a broader ongoing initiative by SAVE-Ghana and OTI to address the marginalization of the minority ethnic groups in the Upper West Region. These efforts have led to the adoption of transformative roadmaps that aim to promote inclusion in all 11 District Assemblies.
The successful resolution of political differences and the election of Presiding Members offers hope that other districts facing similar challenges will be inspired to prioritize dialogue, set aside partisan interests, and work for the greater good of their constituents. Through collaborative efforts, local democracy can thrive and effectively serve the needs of the people.