CIBA calls for implementation of affirmative policy

The Council for Indigenous Business Associations (CIBA) has called for the immediate implementation of an affirmative policy that will enhance the influence of CIBA in local governance.

It has also implored the government to allocate a 30 per cent slot of government appointees within the various assemblies to the council.
The CIBA, which is made up of 22 affiliate bodies, comprises market women, painters, masons and carpenters.

The association contends that the non-representation of its members by the government in the local assemblies is a significant impediment to the council’s effort to effectively influence decision making at the assembly level.

Stakeholders forum

At a stakeholders meeting in Accra on Wednesday, the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the CIBA, Mr Albert Agbetiafa, said if the council was given a slot, it would reflect a good understanding of the circumstances of indigenous micro, small and medium-scale enterprises in the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs).

In view of the critical nature of decisions of the assemblies and how they affected the operational environment of CIBA, the council found it imperative to dialogue with government, he said.

Mr Agbetiafa was of the view that the government ought to appoint a seat exclusively for the CIBA and its members, beginning with the inauguration of the next assemblies after the upcoming district assembly elections.

With the stakeholders forum, he said, CIBA was seeking to create a consensus-building platform for critical players in the local government system to prosecute the agenda without undue infractions.

Mr Agbetiafa explained that positions agreed upon by stakeholders at the forum would be presented to the government to guide the negotiations in the crafting of a policy statement that would yield the desired effect of reserving a seat for a representative of CIBA.

After the forum, he said, the council would hold separate dialogue meetings with the presidency, council of state, ministry of local government and rural development, in a bid to build synergies among these institutions to culminate in the pronouncement of the desired policy.

Background of CIBA

The CIBA was established by PNDC law 312 on January 5, 1993, to monitor operations of the registered associations with a view to recommending improvements.

Among other things, it is also expected to foster harmony and understanding among member associations and act as the representative of member associations in negotiations with the government.

The council currently has regional and district offices across the country to promote the welfare of its members within the ambit of the law establishing it.