NCCE HOLD SYMPOSIUM ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE AT BECHEM

The Tano South District directorate of the National Commission OF Civic Education has held a Symposium on Local Government Service for second cycle institutions at the St. Josephs Collage of Education  in the Tano South District at the collages auditorium at Bechem, the District Capital.

In an opening address, Miss Rhoda Akueteh of the NCCE said based on the principles and supremacy of the constitution Ghana has chosen  a constitutional multiparty democratic system of government and local government (Articles 35 and 240 respectively) as the best system of government.

She said, the NCCE was born out of this constitution under article 231 to create and sustain within the society the awareness of the constitution and to encourage the public to defend the constitution against all forms of abuse and violation which consequently will lead to the sustainability and consolidation of our democracy to ensure good governance.

Miss Akueteh mentioned that the patron in the exercise of its functions in spite of  its strenuous and limited resources the NCCE  is also focusing on the students within 1^st and 2^nd Cycle institutions to encourage them to read the constitution, appreciate constitution democracy  know their rights and to value what they as citizens are supposed to do for their country and stressed that she hoped after the presentation on the local government service it will enable the citizenry to acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and disposition to deepen democratic culture which would lead to effective consolidation of our democracy.

In his presentation on the topic the Local Government Service   Act 2003 ( Act 656), the Tano South District Chief Executive Hon. Bukari Zakari  Anaba outlined  the topic under five headings namely,

.  Brief history of decentralization and local government service

. Structure and membership of local government service

. Pillars of Decentralization

. Departments and MMDA s and their factions

. The role of Students

Hon. Anaba said decentralization involves the transfer of formal authority from smaller to a larger number of actors who use this authority to perform some services to the public and mentioned that the Government of Ghana (GOG) since 1988 has embarked upon the implementation of a comprehensive decentralization and local government reform programme as an alternative development strategy which is aimed at establishing efficient decentralized government machinery as a means to provide strong support for participatory development and was further given a boost by chapter 20 of the 1992 constitution.

Hon. Anaba said Article 240(i) of the constitution provides that Ghana shall have a system of local government and administration, which shall as far as practicable be decentralized. He said the constitution further provides that:

 Parliament shall formulate law to enhance the capacity of Local Government   Authority to plan, initiate, Co ordinator, manage and execute policies in respect of matters affecting the local people within their areas.

Also, there shall be established for each Local Government Unit, a sound financial base with adequate and reliable source of revenue.      

Again, to ensure accountability of Local Government authority, people in particular Local Government area shall as far as practicable be afforded the opportunity to participate effectively in governance.

Hon. Anaba said, other laws were passed to herald the local government service and administrative decentralization concept into existence and mentioned the PNDC Law 207 in 1988 which established the District Assembly system and many more.

Touching on National level structures, Hon. Anaba said the service has a council known as the Local Government council which is the highest governing body of the service made of 15 members, the local government secretariat headed by the head of service who is assisted by the chief Director and the Local Government Service is also divided into various sectors.

Hon. Anaba said Ghana’s decentralization programme is anchored in four inter- related pillars namely political decentralization, decentralized planning, fiscal decentralization and administrative decentralization and outlined the functions of the four pillars and said Ghana has made a significant progress in all the pillars and what is important is for all of us to get involved in our communities and district levels to bring about the needed transformation in the lives of our people.

The vice principal of St. Josephs collage of Education who chaired the function called on the students to be ambassadors of the programme and preach the local government service and decentralization system to the people and adviced them  on the use of temperate language and respect their parents, teachers and the elderly and avoid bad societal  norms and values to enable them become good future leaders of the country.