Nana Kwaku Aterkyi II, Omanhene and President of the Kukuom Traditional Council and Chairman for this occasion,
Hon. Mrs. Cecilia Johnson, Member of the Council of State,
Hon Regional Minister
Hon. Ministers of State
Hon. Members of Parliament
The Coordinating Director, Brong Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council and Members of the Regional Security Council,
Hon Municipal and District Chief Executives
Nananom, Our Distinguished Traditional Rulers
Regional Heads of Departments and Agencies
Members of the Press
Distinguished Invited Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I was very delighted that I had the opportunity to do the media launch of the Brong-Ahafo Policy Fair on the 24th April, 2012 here in Sunyani your superlative capital. I am equally delighted and honoured that by the kind permission of His Excellency the President who should have been here to do the official opening of this Policy Fair, but who because of other equally important and urgent national matters cannot be here today, I am privileged to perform the official opening on his behalf.

This is so because as the Ministry charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the good people of this country are well informed on government policies, projects, programmes and activities, it has always been the dream of government to see that this novel and innovative Policy Fair concept is organized at the regional level, not only in conformity and support of our country’s decentralization efforts and aspirations, but also for the benefit of our brothers and sisters at the Regional and District levels.

Nana Chairman,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Policy Fair concept is another avenue and channel for the government to account for its stewardship and as such it is my pleasant duty to deliver this address because the events and activities starting from today mark the beginning of yet another unique process of accounting to the people of this Region, what government, through the vigorous implementation of the strategies enshrined in its Better Ghana Agenda and the judicious use of the vast resources of this Region in particular and the country in general, is doing to better the lives of the people and improve their standard and quality of living.

Ladies and Gentlemen
The Ghana Policy Fair, the brain-child of the Ministry of Information is one of the many ways of bringing governance closer to the door steps of the people.
It provides an avenue for the people to assess the performance of government, and also make an input into the policy cycle, thus ensuring its enhancement and review.
The Policy Fair also creates an enabling environment for dialogue between policy makers and implementers in this region and the beneficiaries of these policies. This is so because since all the MDAs and MMDAs will be brought together under one roof, a one-stop access will be provided to physically view developmental projects and other activities in the Region, to assess and if necessary to both appreciate and critique these developments and projects and more importantly to question and contribute through dialogue to further the enhancement of the policies that these developments are derived from.

The general public and patrons to this Fair are therefore encouraged to share their views, concerns and opinions on all the policies, projects, programmes and activities of government.

Although all government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies are constantly in touch with the people of Ghana at various times, the Policy Fair provides a unique opportunity for both interaction and immediate response to the concerns of our people so far as the initiation and implementation of government policies, projects and programmes are concerned.

The Policy Fair concept is in line with the vision and dedication of His Excellency the President, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills and his NDC government’ to bring governance to the door steps of the people, particularly those in the Regions and the Districts. By hosting the Policy Fair in this Region, a major objective would be achieved by creating an opportunity for the people in this Region to understand and appreciate the governance system so as to take active part in the governance system, thus Building together in a Better Ghana, which is the theme for the 3rd National Policy Fair and all other Regional Policy Fairs including this Region.


Nana Chairman,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Even though the Policy Fair aims to create the conducive atmosphere for our brothers and sisters in the regions to interact freely with their respective policy initiators, it should also equally provide an avenue for an effective networking, collaboration and partnership between the public and the private sector to harness the economic potential of this Region for the supreme benefit of its people.

I will therefore entreat operators in the private sector to take advantage of the opportunities that the Policy Fair offers to maximize the business and investment opportunities so as to create the much desired employment avenues for the youth of our country.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Ministry of Information will not relent on its mandate to facilitate a two way free flow of timely and reliable information and feedback between the government and its citizens to ensure the latter’s support of our nation’s developmental aspirations. This is what we would always strive to achieve through imaginative and effective projects and programmes such as the Policy Fair.

To the various MDAs and MMDAs, I believe you are here to give an account of what has been entrusted to you and how these resources are been utilized to improve upon the standard of living of the people.

Let me congratulate the Regional Planning Committee for recommending and introducing topics for the dialogue sessions that are peculiar and pertinent to the development of this Region.

I will therefore like to entreat Nananom, Civil Society Organizations here, my brothers and sisters in the public service, our partners in the private sector, students, researchers, and indeed the general public to take active interest in the four-day event, particularly the dialogue sessions and I believe in doing so, we would together be Building a Better Ghana.

Let me conclude by expressing a lot of appreciation to the dynamic Regional Minister of the Brong Ahafo Region who has been ably supported by both his Regional Security Committee and Municipal and District Chief Executives and Heads of Departments to see to the fruition of the Policy Fair in the Brong Ahafo Region. To the Regional Coordinating Director and the hard working Regional Planning Committee who toiled through sleepless nights so that this Policy Fair could succeed I say congratulations because the crowd you see here today is the product of your hard work.

On this note, Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of His Excellency the President, I wish to declare the Brong Ahafo Regional Policy Fair duly opened. 

Thank you for your attention and may the Good Lord Bless you all for coming.

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