The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development hosted 17 Senior Officers out of a 30-man delegation from the India National Defence College.

The primary aim of their visit was to gain an all-encompassing overview of the socio-economic development. foreign policy, security, and strategic issues of Ghana in the context of changing perspectives of the current global environment.

The Team was met by the Director of the Local Governance Directorate who took them through local governance issues which included presentations on Political and Local Governance structure.

Metropolitan, Municipal, and Districts Assemblies staff are expected to supervise and monitor projects undertaken in their jurisdictions to ensure value for money.

Section 12 of the Local Gpovernance Act, 2016 (Act 936) provided District Assembly to exercise political and administrative authority in the district, promote local economic development and provide guidance, direct and supervise other administrative authorities.

Hon. Daniel Botwe, Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development said this at a Financial Management training on the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) project for Assembly staff from Northern and Oti Region in Tamale.

He cautioned District Chief Executives to familiarised themselves with all projects in their communities whether initiated by their Assembly or not.

To ensure that the Social Cohession project is managed effectively, the Ministry of Local Government has provided office equipment and logistics to the Zonal Coordinating and Satelite Offices in Nalerigu, Tamale, Wa, Dambai, and Damongo.

Additional logistics such as vehicle, motorbikes and tablets will be made available to the Regional Coordinating Councils, MMDAs and Community Facilitators for improved project facilitation, monitoring and evaluation.

Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shani, the Northern Regional Minister, was hopeful that the training would provide the needed guidance in handling every financial aspect of the SOCO project.

Source:                PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT (MLGDRD)

Four Hundred and Thirty-Two Community Facilitators have been recruited and employed through the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) Project in beneficiary Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

Also, the Community Project Implementation Committee (CPIC) for 217 clusters of communities is formed under the project.

Hon. Daniel Botwe, Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, disclosed these at a Financial Management training at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region for staff from MMDAs in the Upper  East and  North East.

The training was to prepare SOCO beneficiary district assemblies on the allocation and disbursement of funds and deepen their knowledge on key financial management areas of disbursement and funds flow, accounting and records keeping, documentation and reporting, internal controls and audit on the project.

Participants included District/Municipal Chief Executives, Municipal/District Coordinating Directors, Planning Officers/SOCO Focal Persons, Financial Officers, and Internal Auditors from SOCO Beneficiary MMDAs.

According to Hon. Botwe, field appraisal of 551 proposed sub-projects comprising culverts, community centres, youth centres, Schools, CHPS/Health Centres, Energy, Markets, Dams and Feeder Roads were prioritised under the project.

A total of 371 projects, made up of 168 boreholes (60 mechanised, 108 hand pump); 68 classroom blocks; 60 markets; 50 CHPS Compounds; and 51 roads subprojects, have passed the environmental and social safeguards screening as well as an appraisal for implementation.

He assured an increase in funding for the project next year after successfully implementing the year 2023 activities.

Hon. Stephen Yakubu, Upper East Regional Minister, was hopeful the project will improve regional collaboration and the socio-economic and climate resilience of the border communities in the targeted Northern Regions exposed to conflict and climate risks.

Hon. Yakubu described the theme for the workshop “Financial Management of Donor Funded Projects (IDA) within the Context of Current Public Financial Arrangement-the Case of the SOCO Project" as appropriate and key to the project’s success.

He lamented that some projects in the past suffered setbacks due to misappropriation and misapplications of funds, which he said would not happen under SOCO because the Regional Coordinating Councils would ensure the appropriate use of funds.

Describing the project as a game changer, Hon Stephens said the training would enlighten participants about the broad objectives of the financial management arrangements, processes and project controls.

The Financial Management training under the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion Project (SOCO) is part of the components of the Project Implementation activities to build the capacity of implementers of beneficiary communities.

Source:                PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT (MLGDRD)