Local Govt spells out directives for effective decentralisation

Accra, Oct. 4, GNA - Nana Rex Owusu-Ansah, Acting Head of the Local Government Service (LGS), on Wednesday outlined decentralisation modalities to secure effective administration and management of local government in the country.

He said: "Decentralization is a change management process, and there is the need to carry everyone along through the implementation of an integrated process and stakeholders dialoguing at the national, regional and district levels."

Nana Owusu-Ansah outlined three-core outstanding business for the effective implementation of decentralization, which included establishment of LGS Departments at the District Assemblies, integration of the decentralised departments of Central Government into departments of the assemblies at the district level.

The other was for the passage of a legislative instrument for the transfer of functions, staff/personnel and resources from the national and regional operational directorates to the decentralized departments within the district assemblies.

Nana Owusu-Ansah, who is also the Board Chairman of Ghana News Agency (GNA), was speaking at a capacity building training workshop for newly appointed Chief Directors at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).

Speaking on: "Local Government Service, Expectations, Challenges and Way Forward," Nana Owusu-Ansah said the Local Government Act 1993, (Act 462) mandated the establishment of decentralized departments - Central Administration; Finance; Education; Youth and Sports; Health; Agriculture; Physical Planning; Social Welfare and Community Development; Natural Resources Conservation; Works; Trade and Industry and Disaster Prevention.

The functions previously performed by the branches, divisions or units of the departments were to be transferred to the decentralized departments at the assemblies.

He said to avoid overlapping; functions of the departments have been identified and where necessary merged with those of the assemblies (as specified in their respective Establishment Instruments) and a composite one distilled out.

"Staff of the various decentralized departments at the district level would be identified by age, rank, and qualification, skills for effective examination of any deficiencies and gaps, which would inhibit their operational and administrative functions."

Nana Owusu-Ansah said capacity-training workshops would be organized periodically to enhance their effectiveness. On the functions of the Services, he said it would provide technical assistance to District Assemblies and Regional Co-ordinating Councils (RCC) to enable the two bodies to perform their functions and discharge their duties in accordance with the Constitution and the Local Government Act. 04 Oct. 06