The Local Government Ministry is 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.
The Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Mr Daniel Botwe, said this during a three-day official working visit to some communities in the Ashanti Region as part of his 2023 working tour to the Regions and the District Assemblies to promote effective coordination between the Ministry, Regional Coordinating Councils and the Assemblies.
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.
According to Mr Botwe, every District Assembly takes directives from the RCCs as stipulated in the Local Governance Act, (Act 936) which states that the Regional Coordinating Council shall be responsible for the coordination and direction of the administrative machinery in the region.
He urged the staff to go about their work professionally and support their Coordinating Directors and Chief Executives to succeed for the benefit of the communities.
He emphasized the need for Chief Executives of Metropolitan, Municipal, and Districts Assemblies to undergo periodic training to enhance their output.
He, therefore, urged the staff to pursue policies, programmes and interventions that would bring development to their people.
On his part, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, said the non-performance of regional staff weakens the local government system and the country’s development.
Priscilla Nimako, ISD
