MINUTES OF THE THIRD QUARTER SOCIAL SERVICES SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, 24TH OCTOBER 2023 AT THE DISTRICT ASSEMBLY HALL, KPEVE.

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Opening Prayer

The meeting was called to order at exactly 10:15am by the Chairman and the Opening prayer was said by Hon. Ransford Bobi

 Reading and correction of Previous Minutes

The previous minutes was read by the house and all necessary corrections and omissions were effected.

Hon. Churchill Oforikumah moved a motion for the acceptance of the minutes as a working document and was seconded by Mr. Oscar.

Matters arising

a.       Renovation of the District Health Directorate

The Chairman enquired from the Representative of the District Health Directorate if renovation works on the District Health Directorate was still ongoing? She answered no, with the reason that funds are not available and that, they are waiting for some funds from the MPs common fund.

b.      Assembly Members Ex-Gratia

The Chairman of the Committee explained that, the matter was forwarded to EXECO and them to the General Assembly. But the District Coordinating Director responded to it by stating that the District Assembly was expecting a Directive which will include the ceiling from the Head of the Local Government Service.

Business of the Day

How to resolve the low pass rate for the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (B.E.C.E) in the District

According to Mr. Oscar, the representative of the District Education Directorate, the results are improving now despite the fact that, the pass rate is low.

Recommendation

1.      The Committee recommends the setting up of a District Examinations Board to tackle the low pass rate of the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (B.E.C.E) within the District. This will help in setting of standardised examination questions with provision of marking schemes for all schools in the District in the third term of each academic year. The Committee recommends a seven (7) member board comprising :

1.      The District Examinations Officer

2.      CORPS representative

3.      Leaders of the Three Teacher Unions

4.      Social Services Sub Committee representative

5.      One (1) Circuit Supervisor

Briefing from Health Directorate on the current state of HIV in the District

Madam Senanu, Representative for the Health Directorate took time to brief the house on the current situation pertaining to HIV/AIDS. According to her, the testing rate for the year 2023 has reduced. This was as a result for the shortage of the testing materials, which they now have some stock of.

Table 1.1 HIV/AIDS testing and results for 2022 and 2023

She mentioned Tongor Dzemeni and Peki Dzake as the communities with high rate of new infections. And she mentioned 25 to 44 years as the age group with higher positive rate.

Recommendation

The Committee recommends Health workers to prepare a comprehensive HIV/AIDS teaching material on Abstinence, Mutual faithfulness and negative effects of HIV/AIDS for religious leaders to use in educating their members during their service or meetings. Also Health workers should endeavour to educate citizens on the consistent and correct use of condoms.

Practical ways of  solving Teenage Pregnancy

The Representative for the District Health Directorate stated that they have started to solve the problem by forming Adolescent health club at Adzokoe where adolescents are taught health reproduction and play games. But according to her, the parents of the adolescents also needs to be educated on the negative effects of teenage pregnancy on their wards.

Table 1.1 Teenage Pregnancy in the South Dayi District.

Recommendation

The Committee recommends that, Stakeholders such as the Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education service and the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development collaborate, and also engage Parents of Adolescents during their sensitization programs and meetings with the adolescents. As this will help the Parents understand the negative effects of adolescent pregnancy on their wards and the role they need to play in the lives of their wards to avoid it. Again although abstinence is preached to the adolescents, Parents need to be educated on family planning methods, so as not to object it, when it is introduced to the sexually active adolescents to prevent Teenage pregnancy.

Assembly Members Ex Gratia

The house referred to the previous discussion that was held during the last meeting, which stated that Ex gratia of Assembly members should be pegged at 6,000 Cedis.

Recommendation

The Committee recommends that, the Assembly Members proposed Ex Gratia of GHC 6,000.00 be maintained and half paid for on or before the day of dissolution of the Assembly, and the other half paid on or before 28^th June, 2024.

Any Other Business

High estimated electricity bills from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG)

According to members, there is a public outcry by community members on a very high cost of estimated bills from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

Recommendation

The Committee recommends the Executive Committee to summon the District Manager of the Electricity Company of Ghana to the General assembly, to explain to members why they now give consumers a very high estimated bills whiles their workers go to various homes to read their meters.

Registration of Assembly Members Motor Bikes

 Members of the committee enquired from Mr. Charles Boazor, the Deputy Director of the District Assembly of where the Distict Assembly have gotten to, with regard to the registration of Assembly members motor bikes.

He responded by saying that, they have been able to retrieve the original documents from the DVLA and are now at the final stage of the registration. He cited financial constraints as the cause of the current delay.

Recommendation

The Committee recommends the Assembly to complete the registration of Assembly Members motor bikes before the General Assembly on the 27^th October, 20223.

Closure

The meeting came to a close at 1:12pm when Mr. moved for the closure of the meeting and was seconded by Hon. Churchill Oforikumah.

The closing prayer was said by Hon. Ransford Bobi.

Hon. Elukpedzu Wellington                     Philip Kokroko Newa

          Chairman                                                    Secretary

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