Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Senior Advisor to the President (in black suit) in a group photograph with members of the newly inaugurated Governing Council of the Local Government Service.
GOVERNMENT has inaugurated the 5th Governing Council of the Local Government Service in Accra.
The 14-member Council is headed by Dr. David Wellington Essaw, Chairman, who would be assisted by other technocrats drawn from various state institutions and agencies.
They include Madam Marian Wandah Afi Kpakpah Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development; Dr. Kojo Esseim Mensah-Abrampah, Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC); Madam Catherine A. Appiah Pinkrah, Ministry of Education; Dr. Stephen Nana Ato Arthur, Head of the Local Government Service and Madame Irene Naa Torshie Lartey, Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund.
Others are Bismark Baisie Nkum from the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana; Samuel Donkor, representing the Local Government Workers; Dr. Nicholas Awortwi, Director of the Institute of Local Government Studies and Nene Sakite II, representing the National House of Chiefs.
Also on the Council are Rev. Sanatu Nantogma and Dr. Esther Oduraa Ofei-Aboagye, both presidential nominees as well as Madam Gladys Gillian Naa Tetteh and Derry Martin Judas Bang-Bie also representing civil society organisations.
Members of the Council, prior to their inauguration on Monday, were led by Ing. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Senior Advisor to the President to undertake the oaths of office, allegiance and secrecy.
In his remarks, Mr. Osafo-Maafo reminded members of the Council that their nominations had come at a time when government was making “strenuous” efforts to consolidate the tenets of decentralization and local governance, which he noted, were both “indispensable” for effective public administration and improved service delivery for Ghanaians.
“It is therefore critical”, he counseled, “for the council to secure and deepen decentralization by providing the needed direction and strategies to establish departments and units of the decentralized public services.”
While admitting that there was “enormous pressure” on local government institutions due to high expectations from the citizenry for them to lead the execution of and deliver on government development agenda to better the lots of the masses; the Senior Presidential Advisor charged the Chair and members of the Council “to work together as a team to augment the capacity of Service to initiate, formulate and execute plans, programs, policies and strategies for effective resource mobilization; promote and support productive activities; and the delivery of infrastructure for socio-economic development in their respective areas.”
Chairman of the newly inaugurated Governing Council of the Local Government Service, Dr. David Wellington Essaw in his acceptance speech conveyed the gratitude of the Council to government for the faith and confidence reposed in them.
He assured that: “We will work in unity and in purpose to achieve the Council’s mandate as provided in the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936)”.
“As a new council”, he added, “We envisage a rigorous tenure of the office where members would bring their experiences and expertise to bear to build on the good works of our predecessors while we work together with all stakeholders to champion the good governance agenda”.
By Nii Adjei Mensahfio