The Representative of the PIC with the D.O of Konye Subdivision and Lord Mayor of Konye Council
The population of Konye Municipality have been called to fully engage collaboration with their local Council in order to benefit from quality services. The called was made in Konye during a town-hall meeting organized by the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator (OPIC) on Wednesday 30th October 2024 at the Konye Business Centre Hall on the theme: “Office of the Public Independent Conciliator: Seeking an Operational Partnership Between the Konye Municipality and Its Users or Citizens to Ensure Effective Services Delivery.’’
The Representative of the Public Independent Conciliator, Mr. Fonju Bernard, making an opening statement
The representative of the Public Independent Conciliator, Mr. Fonju Bernard, made the request after administrative and municipal authorities in the subdivision remarked that there is lack of functional collaboration from the population towards the Council. The Lord Mayor of the Konye Council, Barrister Mosima George Lobe observed that efforts made by the Council to develop the municipality have suffered from uncivil behaviour from citizens who destroy public utilities put at their disposal by the council either through theft and poor management of these utilities. In the same vein, he frowned at citizens who don’t attend council sessions or town-hall meetings and later complain about the council’s development efforts. In this regard, the Mayor called on the community stakeholders to attend these meetings, including those to be organized by village development communities, to propose ideas based on their needs.
The Lord Mayor of Konye speaking during the Town-hall meeting
Speaking at the beginning of the town-hall meeting, the PIC representative indicated that the purpose of the town-hall meeting with frontline community stakeholders of the Konye Municipality was to enhance service delivery to users of council services considering that the primary goal is to meet the expectations of citizens for quality services. He further urged participants to play their role and also contribute in fostering a user-friendly culture with the council by fulfilling their duties and respecting their obligations towards the council for the good of their municipality.
View of some participants present during the Town-hall meeting
After participants were schooled on the missions of OPIC and their rights and obligations as users of council services, they were given the opportunity during the interactive session to ask questions or make observations concerning misunderstanding on the missions of OPIC as well as issues related to the proper functioning of their municipality. In this line, the common message that emerged from the interactions was the need for collaboration between the population and the Council.
A traditional ruler asking questions during the Town-hall meeting
The Mayor, who expressed satisfaction concerning the organization of the town-hall meeting, saluted OPIC for setting a platform of frank collaboration between the Konye Council and its population.
