Until assembly members in Ghana are well-resourced and rewarded, the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) cannot play the role that will accelerate meaningful development in the country.

However, it is difficult to understand why assembly members who represent the legislative arm of government in their respective localities are waiting forever to get rewarded for their contributions to national development.

Meanwhile, the effective and impressive performance of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) over the years is contingent upon the assembly members who have and continue to provide the link between the people at the grassroots and the assembly.

These were the observations of the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GLOMEF, Raphael Godlove Ahenu, during an interaction with journalists at Sunyani, the Bono regional capital.

He explained that at the local level, all those who work for the executive arm of government are well-resourced and catered for, which is why they give off their best.

“Those in the judiciary are giving what they deserve, and therefore, they perform creditably,” he added.

Mr Ahenu stressed the need for assembly members to be treated equally as other representatives of the people.

He stated that the assembly member's work is difficult, and giving them a monthly salary will only enhance their representing and serving responsibilities in the interest of the local citizens at the assembly.

“The Members of Parliament (MPs) and MMDCEs are paid monthly, so why can't we do the same to the assembly members who represent the grassroots?” he questioned.

He, therefore, called for an improved welfare package for assembly members to enable them to serve well as development agents in their respective electoral areas.

Mr Ahenu further suggested, "While we consider the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, we must also think about the welfare of assembly members".

“Although the Local Government Act 2016 (Act 936) spells out the responsibilities of assembly members, including maintaining close contact with their electoral area, consulting electorates on issues to be discussed in the Assembly and collating their views, opinions, and proposals, they still commit their resources to solving problems of their electorates,” he explained.

The Founder and CEO of GLOMEF lamented the absence of offices for the assembly members, describing the situation as appalling and making work very difficult for the members.

He noted that motorbikes are not enough for assembly members to effectively carry out their responsibilities, urging civil society organisations and advocacy groups to join the campaign to get them well-resourced for their tasks.