The Office of the Head of Local Government Service (OHLGS) on Thursday, October 1, 2020, held an orientation programme for 13 newly appointed Chief Directors (CD) and Regional Co-coordinating Directors (RCD’s) into office.
The five-day programme which was held at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region was to sharpen their skills and knowledge as they assume their new role.
Opening the workshop, the Head of the Local Government Service, Ing. Dr Nana Ato Arthur congratulated the Chief Directors and Regional Coordinating Directors for their appointments as administrative Heads of the Office of the Regional Coordinating Councils and wished them well in their new role.
He entreated them to exhibit a high sense of human management skills and professionalism, virtues they will require in the discharge of their duties.
On her part, a Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr O.B. Amoah who represented the Sector Minister, Hon. Hajia Alima Mahama entreated the Chief Directors and Regional Coordinating Directors to assist their respective regional ministers to supervise, monitor evaluate and submit a report on their performance of the Assemblies to the President.
She reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to supporting in the execution of their functions and called on them to work assiduously towards realizing the President Nana Akufo-Addo’s agenda of achieving its flagship programmes.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Simon Osei-Mensah lauded the initiative of the Service and appealed to the Service to continue to support and build the capacity of the staff of the MMDAs and Regional Co-ordinating Councils.
He urged the new appointees to be tolerant but firm in their decision making in accordance with the service delivery standards of the LGS. Mr Osei-Mensah threw a word of caution to the CDs/RCDs to be mindful of their conducts, decisions and speech in their day to day activities while ensuring neutrality is exhibited in the conduct of their work.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCCoD), Ing. Salifu Mahama spelt out some of the current policy issues that needed much attention.
They included; mainstreaming local economic development at the regional and district levels to harness the abundant rich resources (both human and material) to provide opportunities and incomes for citizens.
Another area of concern he mentioned was developing the needed systems for local revenue mobilisation. According to him, the needed spatial and fiscal databases must be developed to improve knowledge and available potential while ensuring strategies required in the collection of corresponding local revenues are created.
He proposed a yearly review of the National Decentralisation Policy and Strategy (2020-2024), with the Regional Co-ordinating Directors in collaboration with the OHLGS.
According to him, the move will enable the IMCCoD to establish the on-going efforts and the progress made by respective offices regarding the National Decentralisation policy and strategy.
Highlights of the presentation at the workshop included; Public Administration: the new Public Management; Deepening Inter-Service & Sectoral Collaboration and Co-ordination; National decentralisation Policy and Strategy (2020-2024); Public Policy Making and Analysis; Strategic & Ethical Leadership and leadership Capacity Building: the Intelligence Factor.