The Public Relations and Complaints Committee (PRCC) of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) has organized a series of community engagement programmes in six communities across the three Sub-Metropolitan District Councils of the Assembly as part of efforts to deepen citizen participation and strengthen accountability in local governance. The engagement sessions, held as part of the Committee’s annual activities, took place in Kansaworado, Old Adra in Takoradi, Enoekuma, Upper New Takoradi, Enoe, and Adiembra communities.

Leading the committee members, the Presiding Member of the Assembly, Hon. Patrick Brempoh, who also serves as the Chairman of the PRCC, educated residents on the major activities undertaken by the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly within the year. He also outlined the Assembly’s development plans for the coming year and beyond, touching on priority areas such as infrastructure development, sanitation, revenue mobilization, and service delivery.

Hon. Brempoh encouraged residents to take an interest in the Assembly’s programmes and actively participate in local governance, stressing that development thrives when citizens are well-informed and involved in decision-making processes. He noted that frequent engagements with the residents help clarify misconceptions while providing the Assembly with valuable feedback. The Presiding Member further stated that the PRCC stands for transparency and accountability. He said the committee serves as a mediation platform to promote peace among residents, their Assembly members, and the Assembly staff.

At Kansaworado, community members complained of delays in lifting their communal waste container, causing regular spills at the waste site. They also requested a modern market, an improved road network, and more street-lights to improve visibility and security at night. Residents of Nketsiakrom expressed concerns about the lack of access routes within the community, warning that the situation could be disastrous in the event of emergencies. They also requested more communal refuse containers at some locations to improve the sanitation situation in the community.

The Upper New Takoradi community members complained about unemployment among the youth, partisan management of the community facilities, and other issues. At Old Adra, residents raised concerns about the haphazard parking of commercial and private vehicles, offloading of goods at odd hours, which often leads to traffic congestion. In all the communities, concerns were raised about the payment of rates and fees to the Assembly. Among the concerns were standards for charging rates and fees, late distribution of bills, and the approach of collections, which they said requires improvement.

The Public Relations Officer of the STMA, Mr. John Laste, who serves as Secretary to the PRCC, together with other Heads of Departments of the Assembly, supported the Chairman by responding to questions, complaints, concerns, and recommendations raised by community members. Clarifications were provided on the issues, including administrative procedures, sanitation, road situations, rates and fees, drainage, public safety, and market operations.

Community members expressed their appreciation for the platform to share feedback on issues affecting their communities. The Presiding Member, on his part, reiterated the committee’s commitment to sustaining the engagements as part of broader efforts to promote transparency, accountability, and improved relations between the Assembly and the residents it serves. The PRCC is established under the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936) with key responsibilities that include educating the public on the activities of the Assembly, promoting transparency, probity, and accountability in the Assembly’s dealings with the public, and investigating complaints or allegations made against the conduct of staff and members of the Assembly, including the Metropolitan Chief Executive.

The STMA PRCC organizes the community engagement programmes annually, rotating the venues among communities within the three Sub-Metropolitan District Councils to ensure inclusive participation and equal access to information across the Metropolis.