Minister challenges assemblies to think outside the box

Metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) have been asked to think outside the box as to how local economic activities would be used to create jobs.

Mr Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, said the MMDCEs could create jobs and generate ideas to boost the country’s internally generated funds and stimulate local enterprising.

“Cultivation of pineapples, vegetables among other local breeds in your regions will help position the country’s economy as well as reduce the high unemployment rate,” he said.

He also tasked MMDCEs to provide the overall leadership and supervision of ensuring that the local economic development efforts is mainstreamed into their medium term development plans and create an enabling environment to the private sector that would help create job opportunities to the citizenry.

He said:“Creating an enabling local environment within which economic activities are conducted, resources mobilised and revenue generated is a function of local authorities.”

Mr Vanderpuye gave the advice on Monday at the maiden annual International Conference on Developing Local Governance Capacity to Promote Partnership and Entrepreneurship in Ghana.

The three-day conference which is on the theme “Developing Local Economies through Education, Energy and Entrepreneurship,” aimed at fostering learning, networking and collaboration was organised by Praxis Africa, under the auspices of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ministry of Trade and Industries.

Among the objectives of the conference are to stimulate a constructive debate on priority areas of common concern in an economic empowerment and to acquire a universal perspective of the local government’s role in creating new economic opportunities that would fulfill the needs and aspirations of local citizens.

Touching on the theme, Mr Vanderpuye noted that it is timely as it ties in to the strategic direction of the Local Government Ministry where efforts are being made to empower the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) through provision of micro finance to small and medium entrepreneurs.

He, however, appealed to MMDAs to avail themselves to acquire the needed in-depth knowledge that would help them to make informed decisions in their fields as it is only an informed work force that could appropriately deal with their enormous challenges.

“It is my ardent hope that this platform will proffer solutions to surmount to a large extent the unemployment,” Mr Vanderpuye stated.

Mr Delore Zimmerman, Director, Praxis Africa Ghana, called for decentralisation as a sustainable development tool for building trends and greater competition as well as more opportunities among Ghanaians.

He also called on leaders to be resourceful, innovative and creative for new localisms to be created.

The conference has brought resource persons from across the country to share ideas and give attendees valuable educational opportunities.

Topics being discussed include Mobilising Local Leadership and Resources for Sustainable Development, Restoration of Degraded Land Technology, Aquaculture development in Ghana, Local Building Materials, Producing Biogas and Fertilizer from Organic Waste.