Government determined to deepen grass-root governance - Adjei-Darko

Accra, Oct. 29, GNA - Local Government and Rural Development Minister, Mr Kwadwo Adjei-Darko on Friday inaugurated the Local Government Service Council (LGSC) and the Institute of Local Government Studies Council (ILGSC) in Accra and stressed the determination of Government to give practical meaning to grassroots participatory governance.

He reminded the members of the Local Government Service Council to constantly appraise the local government system and offer suggestions to improve the contribution of local government to national development, saying they must not lose sight of the need to maintain and sustain the balance between Central Government agencies and decentralised institutions.

Mr Adjei Darko asked members of the ILGSC to regularise appointments, tackle the issue of remuneration, ensure the security of tenure and boost the morale of staff at the Institute as well as systematically expand the infrastructural base at the ILGS campus. The Minister expressed the hope that the ILGS Council and the Local Government Council would collaborate effectively to enhance the capacity of the Local Government Service and propel the District Assemblies to live up to the expectation.

Thirteen of the 15-member Local Government Service Council, headed by Nana Boachie-Danquah of the University of Ghana, Legon as well as the members of the Institute of Local Government Studies Council, headed by Dr. Theophilus Wereko, Former Director-General of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, took the Oath of Secrecy and the Official Oath, administered by Mr Adjei-Darko.

Mr Adjei-Darko said the two other members of the Local Government Service Council would be announced later. Mr Adjei-Darko also swore into office Mrs Nancy Thompson, Former Headmistress of Wesley Girls High School and Mr Sam Worentetu, Businessman, the last two Members of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Decentralisation.

Members of the three Councils expressed their appreciation to President John Agyekum Kufuor for the confidence reposed in them and promised to discharge their duties effectively.

The other 12 members of the Local Government Service Council are Mr D. A. Nyankamawu, Acting Chief Director, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development; Dr Regina Ohene-Darko Adutwum of National Development Planning Commission; Mr M. K. Nsowah, Acting Director-General of the Ghana Education Service; Dr Anthony Seddo of the Ghana Health Service and Mr Rex Owusu-Ansah, who until the inauguration was Acting Head of the Local Government Services.

The other Members are Mr Magnus Nicol, Administrator of the District Assemblies' Common Fund; Ms Esther Offei-Aboagye, Acting Director of the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS); Nana Kwamina Ansah IV, National House of Chiefs; Mr Wilbert Dogoli President of National Association of Local Governments (NALAG); Ms Catherine Tedam, Businesswoman; Colonel Yaw Boafo Mensah, Head of International Peace-Keeping Operations of the Ghana Army and Ms Freda Prempeh, Member of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.

The Government has meanwhile released Mr Owusu-Ansah to take up his new appointment as the Interim Clerk of the Pan-African Parliament. Members of the Institute of the Local Government Studies Council are Ms Offei-Aboaggye, Acting Director of the ILGS; Prof. S. N. Woode, Chairman of the Public Services Commission; Mr Nyankamawu Acting Chief Director of the Local Government and Rural Development Ministry; Mr Eric Nortey, Director of Administration National Development Planning Commission and Mr Paul Effah, Executive Secretary of the National Council on Tertiary Education.

The others are Mr Ameyaw Kyeremeh of NALAG; Mrs Regina Apotsi, Chief Director of the Ministry of Justice; Naa Abubakar Abdrahaman, Presiding Member of the Nadowli District Assembly and Mr Ankama Kyeremeh, Headmaster of Odumasiman Secondary School.