Berekum MCE Urges Media, Teachers To Spearhead Development    

 
Dean for Municipal and District Chief Executives in the Bono Region, Honorable. Kofi Agyei has charged stakeholders to be agents of development in their respective jurisdictions.

The Berekum Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), also called on the media to contribute their part to the country’s development by educating the citizenry on the right things to be done. 
“Everyone is needed, media, teachers, appointees. It doesn’t depend on the government alone. We should all be involved”, the Dean of MDCEs said while speaking on Sunyani-based ARK FM monitored by Soiree News.
 This comes after the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development in collaboration with the Institute of Local Governance organized a 3day Refresher Course for MMDCEs in Bono, Ashanti, Ahafo, and Western North Regions 
At the training, the sector minister Hon. Dan Botwey said the President will not entertain excuses from DCEs in line of duty.
 “Avoid needless confrontation with traditional authorities, MPs and Assembly Members; give others respect and show empathy to gain the affection of the citizenry”, Mr. Dan Botwe said.
The Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Hon. Daniel Botwe commended the MMDCEs for their co-operation and active participation and urged them to bring the knowledge, new competencies, and skills acquired in leadership and managerial skills to bear on their respective Assemblies. 
He assured of MLGDRD’s commitment to work closely with the Local Government Service (LGS) and other institutions to ensure local governments respond to the felt needs of the citizenry.
The Director of the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS), Dr. Nicholas Awortwi expressed appreciation to MLGDRD for the opportunity to collaborate to join the ministry’s transformation drive.
 He disclosed ILGS’ readiness to support the process with training and skills development programs. He intimated that the ILGS plans to further deepen the knowledge of LGs in ‘’competitive or entrepreneurial municipality’’, ‘’community-owned district assembly’’ where participation is a key direction of achieving success and a’’ niche- driven municipality’’.
The Head of the Local Government Service, Ing. Dr. Nana Ato Arthur was also appreciative of the opportunity to participate in the program. He described it as unique and said the LGS was very much committed to the cause of ensuring effective local governance and development in the country.
He entreated the MMDCEs to lead the development agenda in their respective MMDAs and hinted that the Service will from the ensuing month commence a reshuffling exercise across the board. 
This exercise according to him should not be seen as a move to witch–hunt rather be seen as an opportunity for staff to deliver effective services to the citizenry especially those in underserved communities.
The 3-day zonal refresher course attracted resource persons drawn from the fields of practice and academia. Areas addressed included Ghana’s Local Governance, Decentrasliation, and Public Management; Public procurement, projects and contracts management, local government revenues, disbursement, and management of public funds.
Present at the training program were the three (3) Deputy Ministers for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Registrar of the Institute of Local Government Studies, some Directors and staff of MLGDRD, and the OHLGS.