A three-day working session for the development of a Project Operational Manual (POM) for the Resilience in Northern Ghana (RINGII) Project has been held to create a working document that will see to the modalities and the appropriate requirements on the project in its implementation.

Participants for the working session were drawn from the various directorates and units of the Ministry of Local Government Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD) to work on the POM.

The POM, when approved by the MLGDRD and the Donor Partner (USAID) will guide the efficient and effective management of the RING II Project in conformity with the laws of the country and the policies of the United State Agency for International Development (USAID)/Ghana.

USAID/Ghana implemented the RING project, which provided grants to seventeen (17) selected Districts Assemblies in the former Northern Region. The project which was implemented between the periods of 2013 to 2019 sought to improve nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and livelihood security in poor communities which yielded some monumental achievements.

To harness the opportunities and keep the momentum of the achievements of the RING, the Government of Ghana and USAID/Ghana have designed a successor project called Resilience in Northern Ghana (RING) II. The RING II will employ and strengthen GOG entities at the national, regional and 17 selected District Assemblies (DAs) across four regions in northern Ghana.

The RING II Project is being financed by the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) with a grant of USD 9 million over a period of five years. The goal of the RING II project is to sustain improvements in the delivery of services that promote the nutrition and resilience of vulnerable populations in northern Ghana.

Source:              PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT (MLGDRD)

The Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, Honourable Daniel Botwe has described the effective collaboration between policymakers and academia as crucial to Ghana’s planning and development progression.

He, therefore, called for a practical working relationship that is an anchor among policymakers, academia, and implementers.

This was at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ashanti Region when the Minister called on the Vice Chancellor, Professor Rita Akosua Dickson at her office as part of a three-day official working visit to the Ashanti Region to promote effective coordination between the Ministry, Regional Coordinating Councils, and the Assemblies.

The call on the Vice Chancellor was to have a discussion with the Bureau of Integrated Rural Development (BIRD), the Department of Planners, and the College of Agriculture at the KNUST to find an effective implementation of the Rural Development Policy.

He suggested that good project research work by students should be considered for effective planning and called for deliberate efforts to be made for the academia and policymakers to pursue policies and programmes that impact all Ghanaians.

VICE CHANCELLOR

Welcoming the Minister and his delegation, Prof. Dickson said that impactful research is not in publication alone, but such research must be made available to people who could best utilize them.

He said KNUST is challenged daily to ensure that “the gown should be carried into the communities, with special attention on the deprived ones”.

She was elated with the Local Government Ministry’s move to come and meet with them, emphasizing that the academia have the expertise to review the 2019-2023 Rural Development Policy together with the Ministry to find solutions to rural development challenges.

She said her institution has signed Memoranda of Understanding with some deprived districts such as Sekyere Afram Plains and Sene West to provide them with technical assistance for the country’s benefit.

She concluded that the quality of humanity served must be seen for the better and that KNUST was ready, willing, dedicated, committed, and armed to find solutions to rural challenges.

SOURCE:              PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT (MLGDRD)

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.