Institute of Local Government Studies Council inaugurated

Alhaji Collins Dauda, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, said Article 240 (2) of the Constitution required the local government system had functions and resources transferred to local authorities in a co-ordinated manner.

It also states that measures be taken to enhance the capacities of Local Government Authorities to plan, initiate, coordinate, manage and execute government policies.

Alhaji Dauda was speaking at the inauguration of an 11-member Council of the Institute of Local Government Studies in Accra.

He said one of the priorities of the Government was to invest in Ghanaian citizens and institutions to build their capacity.

The Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Asutifi South, said the Council had a responsibility to help find innovative ways of addressing the challenges of the institute.

He said one of the responsibilities of the Council was to uphold high standards in the performance of the institute to ensure it stayed relevant and competitive.

Alhaji Dauda said the ILGS is the only institution devoted for capacity building for the local government sector in Ghana and the sub-region, and urged members of the Council to be committed in discharging it duties in order to up-lift the image of the institute.

Dr Abdulai Darimani, Acting Director of the ILGS, said the Council would make the institute a complete organisation and provide an opportunity for ILGS to officially benefit from the rich experience and expertise of members.

He said the new Council was being inaugurated at a time that the institute was facing renewal competition in the area of its core mandate of organising training for members of the regional coordinating councils, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies among other things.

Dr Darimani expressed the hope that the new Council would inject new energies and ideas into the ILGS to assist in the continuing efforts to turn the institute into a world class centre, with the capacity to deliver on its mandate.

Chiana-Pio, Pe Ditundini Adiali Ayagitam III, the Chairman of the Council, said the ILGS had chalked many achievements, key among them being the running of four master’s degree programmes.

He said the institute had been able to contribute immensely to local governance with the production of various publications on decentralisation and local government.

He assured the minister of the council members commitment and dedication to raise the image of the institute with innovative ideas and

Members of Council include Mr Wahid Bampouri-Iddrisu, Ms Audrey Smock Amoah, and Ms. Mabel Adjaottor, all government appointees, Dr Abdulai Darimani, Acting Director of the Institute, Dr Nii Noi Thompson, Director General National Development Planning Commission, and Madam Agnes Naa Momo Lartey representing the National Association of Local Authorities in Ghana.

The others are Mr Joseph M. Dassana, Chief Director of Local Government Service Secretariat, Mr Theodore G. Apedo, Public Service Commission, Alhaji Yar Ishaq, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and Mr Paul Dzando, National Council for Tertiary Education.

The new Council is the fourth to be inaugurated since the establishment of the institute in 2003.