METROPOLITAN, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) are to upgrade themselves academically to effectively administer their outfits when the decentralisation process currently underway is fully implemented.
Under the decentralisation programme, about 30,000 civil servants will have to migrate into the local government service with the MMDCEs as the heads who will administer their areas through the co-ordinating directors.
Also, former heads of the ministries at the district level will be re-designated as scheduled officers of the MMDCEs who will give them directives.
Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, an expert on local government and Principal Lecturer of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, who made the call said it had become necessary for the MMDCEs to upgrade themselves academically because they would have to direct highly qualified and skilled personnel with qualifications such as second degrees or higher.
Mr Ahwoi, a one-time Minister of Local Government, made the call at a one-day seminar on local government Koforidua on Monday.
It was attended by a number of dignitaries such as the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, his deputy, Baba Jamal, municipal and district chief executives, co-ordinating directors and other top officials of the assemblies in the Eastern Region.
Also present were some traditional rulers including the Omanhene of New Juaben and President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, Daasebre (Prof) Oti Boaten, the Omanhene of Akyem Bosome, Okofrobuor Kantamanto Oware Agyekum, who is also the Vice President of the Eastern Regional House of Chefs, the Acting President of the Manya Krobo Traditional Council, Nene Sasraku and Osabarima Owusu Gyemadu III, Chief of Anyinasin and Member of Council of State who chaired the function.
Speaking on the topic “One step forward, the significance of LI 1961 in MMDAs’ capacity building”, Mr Ahwoi said MMDCEs as administrators or managers would have to upgrade themselves academically to be able to face the realities of giving orders to well qualified personnel when the decentralisation process is fully implemented.
He, therefore, advised MMDCEs to consider upgrading themselves so that they would be able to stamp their authority on the highly qualified personnel that would be placed under them.
“You are going to give orders or directives to these former directors all of whom have high academic qualifications some with second university degrees or higher and if you still have lower qualifications, it will be difficult for you to administer because they will simply not take your directives serious”, Mr Kwamena Ahwoi told the MDCEs.
Mr Ahwoi traced the history of local government, especially the decentralization process.He pointed out the rationale of the process and indicated that its full implementation would accelerate the development in the municipalities and districts, and called for the co-operation of all the staff who would be made to work in such areas.
Daasebre (Prof) Oti Boateng suggested that all the assemblies should be linked to share ideas. He also called on all to put aside political affiliations and help develop the communities.
Welcoming the participants, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, re-affirmed government’s commitment to the decentralisation process which he said was to ensure popular participation and accelerated development of the communities.
On the orientation of MMDCEs, Mr Ampofo suggested that such newly-appointed political heads must be in office for at least three weeks before undergoing an orientation course and explained that such a situation would enable them to have some knowledge of their new establishments before being oriented.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo called for mutual respect and trust between MMDCEs and Co-ordinating Directors and indicated it was vital for the development of the communities.
The Director of Human Resource at the Ministry of Local Government, Mr Charles Kotey, assured civil servants who would migrate to the local government service of motivation and added that such personnel would however have to be disciplined and loyal.
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