Assembly members schooled on governance

By Lisa Bogler

The newly inaugurated Unit committee and Assembly members of Cape Coast Metropolis were invited to a two-day workshop to equip them with knowledge necessary for effective leadership.

The two-day workshop was organized and sponsored by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the Institute of Local Government Studies and the Central Regional Coordinating Council, targets on both new and re-elected assembly members. It seeks to strengthen the capacity of the assembly members to execute their responsibilities in this leadership position responsively. 

Most of the present members are in their first tenure of office, but also a considerable number of experienced members attended the presentations. They had the opportunity to exchange experiences with their younger colleagues and moreover, enhance their own knowledge and skills and get informed about recent changes in regulations and structures. 

Assembly members work as channels for local participation in governance and decision making. They bring leadership to the doorsteps of people and must therefore be well informed about the structure of local governance, laws and regulations and the process of decision making. As the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Hon. Anthony Egyir Aikins, emphasized, to effectively deliver the “Better Ghana Agenda”, the assembly members’ commitment to work for development is greatly needed. He urged everyone to take this opportunity seriously and pay attention so that after the training they are able to work as efficient local legislators.

Well trained and skilled governing leaders result in increased levels of transparency and accountability as well as better policy decisions and the availability of local information for effective policy formulation. Governance should be “bottom to top” instead of implemented from above. Therefore, skilled personnel is needed at the grassroots level.

The attending assembly members seemed to head Hon. Anthony Egyir Aikins’ advice as they listened to the presentation and asked questions to deepen the discussion. The first presentation schooled them on different forms of decentralization, Ghana’s experiences with this form of government, current local government structures including the functions of assemblies and councils and challenges brought by this structure. 

Ghana has a long tradition of decentralization as the Municipal Ordinance established municipalities in the coastal towns including Cape Coast in 1895. The participants of the workshop agreed that there are many arguments for decentralization. It deepens democracy by extending representation to levels nearer the people and therefore broadens participation in politic, economic and social activities. Local knowledge and preferences about development are included and thus the government officials’ sensitivity of local conditions and needs is increased and the efficiency and needs are improved.

Of course there are also challenges that have to be faced as they count against decentralization. Such restrictions are shortage of qualified staff and equipment, inadequate accurate, comprehensive local data for planning and not least the fiscal and budgetary challenges. The lack of budget diminishes effective local authority and erodes its credibility. These are problems that have to be improved which should be an incentive for assembly members to be even more committed.

The assembly is working on the objective of improving living conditions in the metropolis. Among the initiations are the provision of social and economic infrastructure, training and development programs for the assembly staff and introduction of local economic development. As workshops like the discussed have proven to be effective and helpful, more of these will be organized. They are also meant to provide a platform for participants to share experiences and build networks relevant to personal and professional support.