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Decentralization should also capture
other facets-Nana Boachie-Danquah
Accra, July 14,
Ghanadot/GNA- Decentralization should not only revolve
around political institutions, but it should also capture
other facets such as human service delivery, planning,
financial management and citizen's participation in
governance.
Nana Yaw Boachie-Danquah, Chairman of the Local Government
Service Council, who said this, explained that successful
decentralization was based on how the structures interlaced
to support development and governance at the local level.
He was speaking to the media after receiving on behalf of
the Council, two new Nissan Patrol vehicles, valued at
50,000 dollars, donated by DANIDA, on Monday in Accra.
Nana Boachie-Danquah expressed regret that issues of
decentralization focused on planning and finance whilst
staffing, discipline and productivity and the interface
between public servants and administration had been left on
the periphery.
He called for the strengthening of collaborative relation
between departments and social development partners to
remove the uncertainties surrounding the implementation of
the decentralization programmes, particularly the transfer
of functions.
Nana Boachie-Danquah said the Council was ready to assume
full responsibility for the transfer of power from the
Central Government to the grassroots through the management
of the new Service.
He said the decentralisation policy would bring development
to all communities if only people tasked with key functions
performed their duties diligently and conscientiously,
without focusing too much on the Central Government
interventions.
Nana Boachie-Danquah said the members of the Council were
working around the clock to help build a well-structured
Local Government Service that would be capable of attracting
the requisite human resources to promote the
decentralization concept.
He commended DANIDA for the donation and said it would
assist in promoting the District Works Department aspect of
the decentralisation programme as part of capacity building
initiatives.
"There is no doubt that your efforts so far show a
commitment on the part of the Council to help to cultivate a
well-structured and integrated Local Government Service
capable of galvanizing both human and material resources for
the attainment of our national development aspirations,"
Nana Boachie-Danquah stated.
The Local Government Service is the latest body to be added
to the Public Service in view of the coming into force of
Local Government Service Act 656 of 2003.
The import of Act 656 is to create a new Local Government
Service that would be fully established this year.
A 15-member council was appointed by President John Agyekum
Kufuor to lay a foundation for the Service by designing the
initial documents for their use.
The Council has already designed documents for the strategic
plan for 2005- 2008; the scheme of service; job description;
organizational structure; department of assemblies and a
communication strategy among other things.
Mr Torben Larsen, Counsellor at the Royal Danish Embassy,
who presented the vehicles urged the LGSC to initiate steps
towards the establishment of the National Programme Steering
Committee to help with the early implementation of the local
government service delivery and governance programme.
GNA
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