Kwamena Ahwoi
Local Government Expert, Kwamena Ahwoi, has called on local government authorities to continuously offer capacity-building “training of trainers” programmes to ensure professionalism in the local government system.
Speaking at the 2nd Prof. Samuel N. Woode Memorial Lecture, in Accra, he said such training programmes would ensure ethical conduct in the discharge of their duties.
“We must introduce Capacity-Building ‘training of trainers’ programme into local government training,” he stressed.
According to him, the local government training space is so vast that authorities cannot rely solely on the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) to offer all the requisite training at a central location.
Among some other recommendations made by Mr. Ahwoi include decentralisation and regionalisation of training, and adopting team support as well as extending ethical conduct to all actors and practitioners.
He also stated that ethical conduct is at the front-line of the country’s governance architecture, hence the need for practitioners to present themselves as ethical role-models before the people they interact with.
He also tasked the Local Government Service to develop a code of conduct to guide practitioners while collaborating with other practitioners and stakeholders to deliver on their mandate.
While commending the ILGS for its contribution to leading capacity-building efforts over the years, he also urged stakeholders especially government, to support the institute in its mandate.
Mr. Kwamena Ahwoi, who served as Minister for Local Government and Rural Development from 1990 to 2001 in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, also cited instances where local government staff needed to weigh their actions in ethical dilemmas in the performance of their duties.
“The ethical local government practitioner abhors arrogance, should dislike manipulation, spin and duplicity in his or her role and treats all persons with respect and dignity,” he added.
The lecture, held under the theme “Building Capacity for Professionalism and Ethical Conduct in Ghana’s Local Governance System”, brought together local government experts, government officials, former Directors of the Institute of Local Government Studies, academia, as well as friends and family members of Prof. Samuel Nunoo Woode.
Also present was the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim; Director, Institute of Local Government Studies, Prof. Nicholas Awotwi; Chairman of the Public Services Commission, Prof. Victor Kwame Agyeman among other notable dignitaries.
The lecture, which was organised by ILGS and University of Ghana, was instituted in memory of Prof. Samuel Nunoo Woode, who died in 2021.
It is expected to serve as a platform to encourage conversations on public administration and ethical commitments in public life.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah