Change leadership training approach - Professor Adei

Professor Stephen Adei, Dean of Arts and Science, Ashesi University, has asked the Local Government Service to change the approach to training of personnel in leadership at the local levels.

He said because lack of capacity building exercises at the local level, it had become a major stumbling block to the realization of the full benefits of decentralization.

Prof. Adei who was speaking at the fourth Local Government Professional Conference under the theme; "Transforming Ghana through Effective, Coordination and Implementation of Government’s Policy at the Decentralized Level in the 30 years of Ghana Decentralization," said despite progress being made, decentralization had not realise its full potential as a tool in good governance in the past 30 years.

He said inadequate leadership, systematic capacity building and bureaucracy at the central level were impeding development at the local levels, adding that “unwillingness to release logistics to where it was needed on the part of central authority was crippling decentralization”.

Dr. Achilbald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister, said the successful implementation of performance management system at the local levels depended on competent and professional officers with required logistics and fund to discharge their duties effectively.

He appealed to central government and the head of Local Government Service to make available necessary provisions that would improve decentralization process in the districts.

Dr. Letsa also urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to work and turn around the local economy to enhance the lots of the people.