Fourteen return from governance tour

Accra, Nov. 18, GNA - A 14-member delegation from Ghana's Local Government regime on its return from a fact-finding tour of South Africa on Wednesday, recommended a performance-based system to stimulate social and economic growth in the country's decentralization process. Led by the Adentan Municipal Chief Executive, Madam Nubyl Kakra Vanlare, the delegation undertook the 10-day tour as part of government's efforts to build a more responsive, functional and results-oriented Local Government system.

The tour was to expose participants to the various levels of government, the relationship between the various levels, city management and administration, service delivery, and local economic development, among others, focusing on areas of commonalities and differences between Ghana's Local Government system and that of South Africa.

Madam Vanlare who interacted with the media on arrival, said the delegation had fruitful interactions with their South African counterparts at all the levels of governance, expressing optimism that even though there were commonalities in the local governance systems of both countries, the positive aspects of that country's local governance system would be brought to bear on Ghana's module.

She said the delegation had realized after a thorough scrutiny of the South African system, that even though that country had passed through the apartheid era, it had demonstrated a firm commitment to accelerate the pace of decentralization, a situation which Ghana lagged behind in terms of implementation.

Madam Vanlare explained that in South Africa, local government elections were conducted on partisan basis and the majority party at the municipal level elects a Mayor and Speaker. This is unlike Ghana where the president makes nominations to the District Assemblies and confirms the District Chief Executives.

Madam Vanlare noted that in the South African system, the municipalities were autonomous and conducted their affairs based on approved guidelines and standards set by each municipality, adding that municipalities in that system operated on performance based management system where all the staff signed performance contract agreements. She explained that the South African system of governance was devolution in character and practice while in the case of Ghana, Regional Coordinating councils operated the de-concentrated system of decentralization

Thus, the delegation, Madam Vanlare said, with the exposure to the South African experience, was of the view that there was the need for innovative solutions to making Ghana's local government responsive to contemporary local needs.

She said there was also the need to demonstrate firm commitment to "what we plan to do and timely too", expressing hope that the process of integrating departments into the District Assembly system as enshrined in the legislative instrument 1961 would be fully implemented. Madam Vanlare said that there was also the need to adopt a performance based system in local governance by reintroducing the performance contract regime to promote efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery. She identified data management as a critical factor in resource mobilization, stressing on the need for local authorities to build and manage data, as well as the encouragement of performance audit to stimulate public interest in local government affairs.

Madam Vanlare who did not give a timeline for the delegation to submit its report and recommendation to the Local Government Service, said that it was important to set standards and guidelines for a meaningful service delivery by local authorities, calling for increased community participation in projects and programmes of local authorities. 18 Nov. 10