Efficient decentralization and effective local governance system are critical to Ghana’s socio-economic development.
Mr Simon Osei Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, who stated this, said government was committed to building the capacities of assembly members and other local governance structures to enable them to discharge their duties effectively to promote accelerated development at the local levels.
Mr Osei Mensah, was speaking on behalf of President Akufo-Addo, at the inauguration of the Asokore-Mampong Municipal Assembly.
He stressed the need for the assembly members to support the assembly to mobilize the needed revenue to help strengthen the financial base of the assembly to execute development projects for the benefit of the people.
Mr Osei Mensah pointed out that, inclusion of citizens in local governance was very important, since it contributed a vital strategy in mobilizing the people to participate in decision making at the local levels.
He underscored the important role decentralization and
local governance play in shaping the nation’s future and therefore, tasked the assembly members to plan and make effective decisions that would help mobilize resources to execute projects and programmes to transform the lives of the people in their areas.
Mr Osei Mensah called on the people to actively engage in decision-making processes at all levels of government and participate in local government administration in their areas.
Mr Kennedy Kwasi Kankam, Municipal Chief Executive, implored all the assembly members to educate and encourage their electorates to pay their property rates and other taxes so that, the assembly could expand its development agenda to better the lives of the people.
He also encouraged them to regularly attend assembly meetings at least three times a year as stipulated by the Local Governance Act 2016 (Act936).
Mr Kankam tasked members to discharge their duties dispassionately and in a non-partisan manner.
In all fifteen newly assembly members with seven government appointees, we
re inaugurated.
Source: Ghana News Agency