Some Assemblies have lauded the Voice for Change Partnership (V4CP) project for making a compelling case for them to prioritise issues of food and nutrition security, renewable energy and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) for the benefit of the citizenry.

They said the V4CP had also enlightened the citizenry on such issues and what they could do to improve the situation as well as the need for the Assemblies to upscale such services to the public.

These were part of testimonies given by representatives of some Assemblies at learning and sharing event organised in Tamale as part of the V4CP project to share lessons learnt as the project drew to a close by the end of this year.

The three-day event, which will end on Wednesday, brought together 12 local civil society organisations (CSOs) and 18 Assemblies.

The V4CP, a five-year project (2016 – 2020), funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is being implemented by the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV), an international NGO.

The implementation is in partnership with the International Food Policy Research Institute through 12 local CSOs in 18 Assemblies including Kassena-Nankana, Ejisu, Ga West, South Tongu, Yendi, Nanumba North, East Gonja, West Gonja, and the Wa Municipal Assemblies.

The V4CP project seeks to promote evidence-based advocacy in the areas of food and nutrition security, renewable energy and WASH.

Mr Musah Issakah Sagito, the Planning Officer at the Awutu Senya District Assembly in the Central Region, who spoke on what the V4CP had achieved at the district, said it had helped in the area of advocacy by enlightening residents on WASH to change their behaviour to embrace improved sanitation practices.

Mr Sagito said activities of the V4CP also brought to the fore the need for Assemblies to consider WASH as one of the priority areas that funds must be channelled to for improved sanitation practices.
He said through the advocacy activities of the V4CP, the Awutu Senya District had increased funding for WASH and environmental protection.

Mr Razak Kanyiti, the Focal Person, Community-Led Total Sanitation at the Wa Municipal Assembly in the Upper West Region, said through the V4CP, the Wa Municipal Assembly was working to gazette its by-law on sanitation to ensure that people adhered to improved sanitation practices and offenders penalised.

Mr Kanyiti said through advocacy under the V4CP, open defecation had reduced in the municipality.
Mr Yakubu Bilali, the Planning Officer at Kwahu Afram Plains North District in the Eastern Region, said most of the communities in the district were on islands, which did not have electricity, a situation, which was affecting their lives.

Mr Bilali said through the V4CP, it was realised that mini-grid electricity was the best option in terms of electricity extension to the communities.

He said, however, due to issues of funds, the Assembly was yet to adopt the mini-grid power system to extend electricity to the communities.

Mr Dramani Bukari, the V4CP Project Manager at SNV, said "the V4CP project might come to an end this year, however, the issues it is addressing are still relevant."

He expressed the hope that the assemblies would commit to the various issues addressed under the V4CP as they remained relevant to the development of society.

Mr Bukari said the SNV would leverage the experiences and activities of other programmes to continue to ensure that the dialogue with the necessary agencies, including the National Development Planning Commission, to ensure that clean cooking, for instance, becomes part of the Assemblies' guidelines.