The Births and Deaths Registry has announced the commencement of a one-week mop-up exercise to register the births of 0 -12 months infants that are yet to be registered to aid in the achievement of accurate births and deaths records in the country as the cornerstone of public health and social development planning.

The mop-up exercise which targets the registration of 30,000 infants births is free of charge which kickstarted on Monday, July 22, 2024 and is expected to end on Friday, July 16, 2024 across all the 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the country.

The announcement was made when the Honourable Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD), Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, toured some agencies under the ministry including the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS), Births and Deaths Registry (BDR) and the Department of Parks and Gardens to ascertain challenges facing the agencies and how best to address them for an efficient and effective decentralised government.

At the Births and Deaths Registry (BDR), the Minister commended the BDR for enhancing their service delivery by decentralising their operations to the regional and district levels across the country and also incorporating modernised records keeping that would ensure easy accessibility and retrieval of accurate births and deaths records and assured them of his unwavering support to enable them better serve the country.

Speaking to the media at the Department of Parks and Gardens after the tour, the honourable minister issued a stern warning to estate developers and individuals encroaching on lands belonging to Parks and Gardens.

He unequivocally stated that he would vigorously protect and defend the state's interest in these public lands reiterating that whoever is found culpable would face the full rigorous of the law.

Source: Sandra Owusu Asamoah & Humble Owusu Yeboah

(Public Relations Unit, MLGDRD)

Odawna Market Project Inspection

The Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Mr. Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, conducted an inspection of the Odawna Market project in Accra.

The project aims to provide a modern market facility to enhance local commerce and boost economic activities. During the visit, the Minister set a completion deadline for September 2024, stressing the importance of adhering to this timeline to meet the needs of the market traders and the surrounding community. He highlighted the government's commitment to ensuring the project's timely delivery and urged all stakeholders to collaborate effectively.

Mallam Market Quality Concerns

In contrast, the Minister expressed significant disappointment with the rehabilitation work at Mallam Market. The project, which involved constructing a facility for traders' children, was found to be of poor quality. The Minister criticized the substandard work and instructed the Municipal Chief Executive to take immediate steps to rectify the issues.

He emphasized that government funds should not be wasted on subpar projects and insisted on maintaining high construction standards.

Dr. Andrews Kwablah of NKA Consult, the firm responsible for the project, acknowledged the Minister's concerns and assured that measures would be taken to address the deficiencies. He committed to improving the quality of the work to meet the required standards.

Government’s Stance on Quality and Accountability

The Minister's inspections underscore the government's dedication to ensuring the quality and timely completion of market projects. By setting clear deadlines and holding contractors accountable, the government aims to enhance local infrastructure and support economic growth. The focus on quality also reflects a broader commitment to using public funds efficiently and delivering value to the community.

His Excellence, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo has approved the establishment of the University of Governance and Development. A bill is currently being introduced to Parliament to finalise the process.

The University will be a specialised institution for learning and teaching. Centre that will take care of the needs and gaps and support the country’s local government system.

These were disclosed by Hon. Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, during a working visit to the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) to inspect ongoing projects under construction to pave the way for the University of Local Governance and Development.

According to the Minister, the project, expected to be completed by November is unique to Africa. He was hopeful the University would set a new benchmark in specialised local government education.

He called on the contractors to expedite work to meet the deadline for the institute to begin operation.

The project includes a five-story lecture block, a newly completed conference centre of a 1,800 seater Great Hall and administration block, and partly completed and ongoing construction of 560 executive hostel rooms.

Among the structures undergoing renovation are an old 250-seater auditorium and administration block, library, 20-bed hostel, graduate block, and library, and decentralization office

The Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) is a public management development and training institution, established in 2003 under Act 647. ILGS aims to build the capacity of local government authorities and the local government service in Ghana through education, training, research, consultancy, and advisory services. The ongoing projects inspected by Minister Korsah reflect the ILGS's commitment to advancing local governance and public management in Ghana.