Somalia: Puntland Government Needed Real Decentralize and Empower Local Government Bodies

Governance is the process through which people influence institutions that affect their lives. People influence institutions that affect their lives through participation in development and related processes like elections.

Participation is a voluntary process by which people including the disadvantaged influence and control the decisions that affect them. The essence of participation is exercising voice and choice and facilitating beneficiary involvement in decision-making.

Genuine participation implies local people’s free and full involvement in development activities. Participation may refer to decentralisation in governmental machinery or in related organisations. In this form, resources and decision-making powers may be transferred to lower-level organs. A minimum institutional structure is required for this form of participation. This may be in the form of an existing traditional structure or one that is facilitated by external agents and legitimised by local people, such as a water committee or a co-operative group. This form of participation may make possible decentralised decision-making.

Participation may also be seen as a process of empowerment. This view of participation is based on the recognition of differences in political and economic power among socio-economic groups. Participation in this context refers to the process ofempowerment of the less privileged and excluded: it implies the strengthening of the power of the deprived.

Participation may also be defined as a process in which local people share in an activity or process that was traditionally organised in hierarchical or exclusive ways. In this sense participation necessitates the creation of democratic, independent and self-reliant organisations usually of the less privileged. Participation is a process and measure of how much is being done by the people for themselves in taking control over their own lives and environment, and in empowering the less privileged members of society. Participatory governance aids decision-making and achievement of aspirations, potentially resulting in the following:

Equitable distribution of social and economic benefit

Information and education;

Participation of people in their own development

Decentralisation of development activities; and

Self-reliance and sustainable use of local resources.

Role of councillors in good governance and development planning

Government has the mandate and responsibility to look after the welfare of citizens and to consult and involve them in processes that influence their lives. Government also has most of the national resources by virtue of controlling most of the taxation.

The councillor through the council and forums To  expected to facilitate among other roles participatory plan formulation. The councillor steers the community development process representing the community who are the owners of the process and beneficiaries of the products of development efforts. In this role the specific tasks that the councillor is expected to perform in respect of local area development planning are as follows:

·         Assisting the community to make decisions over their development and seek solutions or design projects that will help overcome development constraints.

·         Consolidating the analysis of the community situation and what the community intends to do to address the situation

·         Assisting the community to analyse the opportunities in the development environment and making use of existing potentials to realise development their vision

·         Encouraging communities to undertake activities which can be done with local resources and to own and take full responsibility for local development activities

·         Facilitating effective dialogue between the community and external development agents for mobilisation of information and resources.

Why should local government promote gender equality?

Political imperative

Local government is elected by the people and should make sure that all interests in the community are represented. Local government cannot claim to be fully representative as long as women are under-represented on councils and in administrations and their needs are not adequately addressed.

Local government can contribute to greater social equity and ensure redistribution through effective planning, service delivery and local economic development. Gender equity is one element of social equity.

Local government needs to promote community empowerment. Local governments need to empower the most marginalized groups in the community and encourage their participation. Women often belong to these marginalized groups.

Moral imperative

Local government has to promote the peace like bosaso city garowe Qardho badhan galkacio and  communities and ensure a safety net to the most vulnerable. The reality Puntland  local Governments Collect tax revenue and No real Accountibilty. Usually, local government delivers goods and services without consulting women and analyzing the gendered nature of social relations. This is likely to result in inappropriate and ineffective planning and services and perpetuates the status quo of unequal power relations.

Economic imperative

Local government has to promote economic development in communities. and communities must understand government are so weak and corrupt if there is no real income so communities must  pay taxation , Puntland local goverments must have clear and transparent strategy.  Such an approach could effectively link economic growth, redistribution and poverty alleviation. This will also promote the economic empowerment  and Puntland goverment in come will double in short period

Political Economics MA

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