President Nana Akufo-Addo has urged assembly members to equip themselves with the relevant laws that spell out their specific roles and duties in the country’s local governance structure. 

He said that would enable the assembly members to avoid certain conflicts with their Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives, traditional authorities, opinion leaders, and other key stakeholders in their areas. 

President Akufo-Addo said to achieve that aim, the Government was keen on building their capacity to provide local leadership. 

“Hence, we have retooled the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) with state-of-the-art facilities and other training resources to enable them to effectively provide the needed training for your competence enhancement.” 

He said this in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Clifford Braimah, Managing Director of Ghana Water Company Limited, at the inauguration of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA), at Sekondi in the Western Region. 

He indicated that the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, through the ILGS, would in the next few weeks organise an orientation and training as a first step towards building assembly members’ capacities to help them appreciate their expected roles and responsibilities. 

The President said after three decades of practicing the local governance system, the average citizen still looked towards the central government or their Members of Parliament for things that fell within the remit of the District Assembly. 

He, therefore, encouraged the Assembly Members to help reverse that trend, saying; “I am expecting that you would be part of the team that finally changes the status quo, and deepen local governance and decentralisation to enable the citizens have access to basic public services in their Districts rather than demanding for such services from Accra.” 

President Akufo-Addo entreated them to work closely with each other to create innovative ways of mobilising the needed resources for the development within their respective areas. 

 “Let me remind you that your people require of you; selflessness, devotion to duty, a very accountable stewardship and above all, your ability to articulate the needs of the people to guide the district development agenda and ultimately, improve the quality of their livelihoods and wellbeing,” he noted. 

Mr Abdul-Mumin Issah, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), said the Assembly was committed to building the capacities of its members and equip them with the necessary local government skills to enable them to perform their duties efficiently and effectively. 

He reminded them that their work as assembly members was sacrificial and that their actions in the exercise of their mandate should be primarily beneficial to the people and the community at large, “and not one that will bring the Assembly’s name in disrepute.” 

He noted that: “In the ninth Assembly of the STMA, I expect consensus in our decisions as a House, as this offers us the opportunity to serve your communities and help enhance our image, as a Metropolis. 

“This would promote unity of purpose and encourage all to work hard towards the achievement of our collective objectives, as an Assembly.” 

Nana Barima Ekow Gyesa II, Chief of Fijai, reiterated the need for the assembly members to work closely with traditional and other opinion leaders to collectively accelerate development in their areas. 

A total of 57 made up of 40 elected members, and 17 government appointees were inaugurated to usher in the ninth STMA.