The Public Independent Conciliator with Administrative and Municipal authorities singing the National Anthem

Grassroots population of Tiko Municipality are now aware of the existence of the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator. Some community stakeholders representing different sections of the grassroots population have been sensitized on the existence and missions of the institution during a town-hall meeting held in Tiko on Thursday 1st August 2024 at the Tiko Council Hall. Organized under the theme: “Office of the Public Independent Conciliator: Pursuing Engagement with Community Stakeholders of Tiko Community to Enhance Effective Services Delivery to Users”; the town-hall meeting witnessed the participation of administrative, municipal authorities, community stakeholders comprised of traditional rulers, religious authorities and representatives of economic operators, bike, taxi and bus drivers.

The Public Independent Conciliator, Mme Telelen Dorothy Motaze, delivering her opening statement, the Representative of the Senior Divisional Officer for Fako , Mr. Viang Mekala, the Divisional Officer for Tiko, Mr. Voh Armstrong delivering their statement respectively and the Third Deputy Mayor of Tiko Council, representing the Lord Mayor of Tiko giving a welcome statement.

Speaking during the ceremony, the Public Independent Conciliator Mme Telelen Dorothy Motaze said the purpose of the meeting was to sensitize the population about the existence and missions of the institution as well as call on the council and population to work in collaboration for the improvement of services delivery. ‘‘The Office of the Public Independent Conciliator is an institution that ensures that users resolve their problem with municipal collectivities and the Regional Assembly amicably’’, Mme Telelen Dorothy Atabong told Tiko Community stakeholders.  In the same vein, she told participants that OPIC is not a court, neither an institution created to act as a supervisory authority over councils, but rather an institution that uses dialogue to settle disputes between citizens and Regional and Local Authorities. She further explained that OPIC is a watchdog institution which constantly remind Decentralized Local Collectivities of their ethical obligations. The D.O of Tiko subdivision on his part urged the population to make good use of the institution. Going further, he described the institution as part of the measures put in place by the Government to improve local governance.

      Participants attentively following a presentation on the Missions of OPIC by done by Mr. Fonju Bernard

After haven been drilled on the missions, complaint procedure of OPIC as well as the rights and obligations of users of council services by the resources persons Fonju Bernard and Vefonge Victoria Efome respectively, the participants raised some prominent issues of misunderstanding with the Tiko Council amongst which are; the collection of money by council workers for the issuance of birth certificate within 90 days, lack of public toilets in local markets, the unhygienic conditions and poor roads to the slaughterhouse, insecurity at the Tiko Market and so on.

            Participants asking questions during the town-hall meeting

While speaking during the question-and-answer session and to the press, some community stakeholders expressed their feeling about the town-hall meeting and its raison d’etre. Patience Forteh, President of the Tiko Market Management Committee, was impressed to know that there is an institution that watches over the activities carried out by councils.  ”As a trader, sometime you have a problem, you don’t actually know where to run to. You know many people from the grassroots always knew that the Mayor has the final say, but today I have been informed that there is another authority that can watch over the actions of the Mayor and council’, she said.  This feeling was also expressed by Martha Loko who said she was glad to know about the existence of the institution. Chief  Akasam Dipoko, chief of Missaka village, was delighted to know about the institution and the posting of Community Based Liaison Officers to act as the intermediary between OPIC and the grassroots population in the different subdivisions and Tiko in particular.