The Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Hon. Daniel Botwe has begun a three-day official working visit to some communities in the Ashanti Region as part of his 2023 working tour to the Assemblies for proper coordination between the Regional Coordinating Councils and the Assemblies.
The tour took the Minister to the Ashanti Region Coordinating Council (ARCC), the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, the Oforikrom and Ejisu Municipal Assemblies, as well as the Rural Development College at Kwaso all in the Ashanti Region.
MINISTRY’S MANDATE
Addressing senior management staff at the various institutions, Hon. Botwe outlined that the Ministry is mandated by the 1992 Constitution to pursue policies and programmes that bring development to the people at the local level.
He said the Local Government Ministry mandated to enhance the capacity of local government authorities to plan, initiate, coordinate, manage and execute policies in respect of all matters affecting the people within their areas.
Thus, the President’s emphasis on the name decentralisation added to the Ministry to enable it pursue policies and programmes that satisfy the aspirations of the people.
He said planning is one of the key functions in development, thus the need for proper coordination and monitoring between the Ministry and the Regional Coordinating Councils to ensure the proper use of state resources for accelerated development in the communities.
He, therefore, urged the staff to pursue policies, programmes, and interventions that will bring development to their people.
DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES
Every District Assembly, according to the Honourable Minister, takes directives from their RCCs as stipulated in the Local Governance Act, (Act 936) which states that the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) shall be responsible for the coordination and direction of the administrative machinery in the region. This, he said gives the RCC oversite responsibility of District Assemblies.
He also emphasisied the need for Chief Executives of Metropolitan, Municipal, and Districts Assemblies to undergo periodic training to enhance their output.
OHLGS
The Head of the Office of the Local Government Service, Ing. Dr. Nana Ato Arthur who was part of the Minister’s entourage, advised Assembly staff not to refuse postings where their expertise is needed.
He urged them to go about their work professionally and support their Coordinating Directors and Chief Executives to succeed for the benefit of their communities.
REGIONAL MINISTER
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Simon Osei-Mensah on his part said the non-performance of regional staff means a weak local government system which weakens the country’s development, he, therefore, urged assembly staff to work hard.
CHIEF EXECUTIVES
The Mayor of the KMA and the Chief Executives of Oforikrom and Ejisu Municipal Assemblies outlines some achievements chalked by their Assemblies. They all pledged to work hard for better development.
THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT COLLEGE
Hon Daniel Botwe and his team visited the Rural Development College (RDC) in Kwaso. The College is the only Community Development school left under the Ministry after their migration to the Technical, Vocational, and Education Training (TVET).
The Minister said his Ministry is putting measures in place to upgrade the college to a befitting status. He revealed that there will be a meeting with the Bureau of Integrated Rural Development (BIRD) to ascertain how the two institutions can collaborate.
Hon. Botwe assured the staff and students of the college that the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) is working closely with the Ministry and very soon students after completion can pursue a degree at the Institute. He also pledged the Ministry’s determination to enhance the school with some needed logistics.
DELEGATION
The Minister was accompanied by his two Deputies, Hon. Osei Bonsu Amoah and Hon. Augustine Collins Ntim; the Chief Directors of the MLGDRD, Ms. Marian Kpakpah; ARCC…… and the OHLGS, Mrs. Cecilia Dapaah, Heads of Departments under the Ministry, and Directors from the Ministry.