The Ministry of Local Government Decentralisation and Rural Development has organized a refresher training for 35 participating assemblies under the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Program (GSCSP).

The training aimed to prepare the assemblies for their 5th Annual Performance Assessment (APA) on indicators in their annual work plans, with a focus on urban resilience.

 The APA is an important exercise that ensures and hold duty bearers responsible and accountable for the execution of infrastructure projects and implementation of action plans to transform emerging towns and cities into well-established municipalities.

The training is a crucial step towards achieving the program's development objectives, which align with the government's vision for sustainable urban development.

The Ghana Secondary Cities Support program seeks to improve urban services in participating Municipal Assemblies (MAs) and enhance their output and resilience.

Source:  Humble Owusu Yeboah & Darling Maame Efua Cann.

A team from the World Bank, led by Madhu Ragunath, Project Manager of the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme (GSCSP) and the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD)  is embarking on a 5-Day Implementation Support Mission (ISM) field visit in some northern parts of Ghana on the GSCSP.

The field visit which forms part of efforts geared towards a systematic assessment of progress of the project and ultimately ensuring its successful implementation is expected to cover the Northern, North East and Upper East regions.

On Tuesday, May 14, the team kickstarted the field visit in the Northern region by visiting the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, a beneficiary of the project and assessed them based on the interventions. Some project sites in Yendi, in the Northern region were also inspected, and recommendations given.

The project sites inspected at Yendi include the construction site of a 2-storey 60No. Lockable stores at the Yendi Central Market, Paving of walkways, Car and Lorry Park at the Yendi Central Market and a Construction of 0.45 Kumfong Link Road and the Provision of Pedestrian Lay-Bys in Yendi.

Addressing the Beneficiaries in the Northern region, the Project Manager of the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme (GSCSP), Madhu Ragunath encouraged a holistic approach to every aspect of project implementation to maximise project success.

The Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Ahmed Yussuf Abubakar in a closing remark appreciated the World Bank and the Ministry for the numerous interventions in the region and pledged unwavering commitment to ensuring a successful completion of the very project in his jurisdiction.

The development objective of the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Program (GSCSP) Project is to improve urban management and basic urban services in participating Municipal Assemblies (MAs) and it is funded by the Government of Ghana with credit funding from the World Bank.

Source: SANDRA OWUSU ASAMOAH

   (Public Relations Unit, MLGDRD)

A second Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting to review the work plans of institutions implementing the District Assemblies Common Fund-Responsiveness Factor Grant (DACF-RFG) Programme was held at the conference room of the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD) on 3^rd May 2024.

The institutions are the Office of the Head of Local Government Service (OHLGS), the Institute of Local Government Service (ILGS), the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme (GSCSP), and the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD).

Discussions also centered on updates on the financial disbursement of the District Assemblies Performance Assessment Tools (DPAT 6 & 7) Six and Seven and the recruitment of experts to support project implementation.

The Chairman for the TWG stated the need for the implementing institutions to be responsible and focus on the alignment of issues on planning and distribution of funds for projects.

He emphasised the Government of Ghana aims to drive development at the local level through the District Assemblies and said the job of the ILGS is to drive the work plans of the Government to its fruition.

Thus, funds for the implementation of projects should be sent to OHLGS and ILGS as they are the implementing institutions and not the districts. This, he stated, will ensure the tracking of project performance.

RHODALINE ABBA AND HUMBLE OWUSU YEBOAH

(MLGDRD, PUBLIC RELATIONS)