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Local Government holds consultative meetings with Political
Parties
Akosombo, Nov 15, Ghanadot/GNA - The Ministry of Local
Government and Rural Development is holding consultative
meetings with representatives of recognized political parties
towards the acceleration of decentralizing Government for the
active participation of the ordinary Ghanaian, at Akosombo.
The meeting, being held with support of the Konrad Adenauer
Foundation (KAS) and the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS)
is to afford the participants the opportunity to deliberate on
their experience of the Local Assembly System, after 20 years,
to recommend ways that would ensure efficient and sustainable
local level development.
It is also to provide an opportunity for the participants to
reflect on the rights of the ordinary Ghanaian and his
participation in the system.
Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, the Minister of Local Government and
Rural Development, said the review process, which had consisted
of a series of consultative and reflective activities would be
in keeping with the original philosophy of participation
underlying the decentralization effort itself.
Mr Yieleh Chireh said it was imperative that the review process
provided opportunities for the various sections of the
population, irrespective of education, gender, geographical
location, political affiliation, age or religion to contribute.
"We have also tried to use the review process to rekindle
popular interest in local governance and local level democracy,"
he said.
He said it was important to keep in mind that the stakeholder
consultation process was not an end in itself but a means to an
end, adding "This will be in line with the inclusiveness that
the Mills Administration wishes to achieve."
Mr Yieleh Chireh said as part of the review process 10 regional
level consultations were organized under the auspices of the
Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) with identifiable interest
groups making submissions and the members of the public also
making their input.
He observed that the regional consultations had yielded
considerable fruits, adding that they had validated the concerns
of stakeholders and provided vivid illustrations of
decentralization and local government in practice.
Mr Yieleh Chireh said the first decade of the assembly system of
local governance allowed the government to start the process by
putting in the administrative machinery, looking at the systems,
establishing the linkages and the checks and balances and
envisaging the relationships between the actors.
"The second decade has demonstrated the strains and stress of
our arrangements and where we need to take corrective action."
Dr Klaus D. Loetzer, KAS representative, commended the
government for embarking on the review process and said their
organization was happy to associate themselves with the
programme.
He urged the political parties to intensify political education
to help make the decentralization process a success.
The meeting is being held under the theme:" Twenty years of
Decentralization of the Assembly system of Local Governance in
Ghana". It ends on Sunday.
GNA
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