MLGRD determined to deepen decentralisation

Accra, Aug. 17, GNA - Mr. Joseph Yieleh Chireh, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), on Tuesday said the Ministry would continue to formulate and pursue policies to ensure good governance and balance development in all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

Addressing Meet-the-Press series in Accra, he said inspite of the numerous challenges associated with the decentralisation process in the country, the sector had made key achievements in respect to the review of various legislations and policies.

Mr. Yieleh Chireh said to ensure proper implementation of government's policies and programmes at the decentralised levels, an Inter Ministerial Coordinating Committee had been set up to oversee the transfer of functions to the assemblies.

He said about GHC47 million had so far been disbursed to the various assemblies under the District Development Fund (DDF) for investment activities and to address capacity building gaps.

Mr. Yieleh Chireh mentioned other programmes as the Community-Driven Initiative for Food Security (CIFS), which was designed as a response to pervasive problems of poverty, food insecurity and hunger in the eastern corridor of the Northern Region, precisely in the Saboba-Chereponi, East Gonja, Yendi, Karaga, Gushiegu and the Nanumba North and South District.

He said the sector had overseen the rehabilitation of various feeder roads in some areas of the country to assist in the transportation of food into the markets and constructed bore holes for rural communities.

The Ministry had also ensured the upgrading of community infrastructure including drains and street lights as well as enhanced waste management especially in the various towns and cities in the country.

The Sector Minister said rehabilitation of structures for 340 basic schools country-wide had been completed and assisted in the increase of school enrolment from 50,000 between 2006 and 2007 to 61,434 from 2009 and 2010.

He said to increase basic school enrolment, 760,000 pupils were currently being fed from the 1,698 schools targeted to benefit under the Ghana School Feeding Programme.

In all the 170 metropolitan, municipal and districts in the country, the Ministry hopes to increase the number to about one million by the end of the year.

On demolition of residential structures on waterways, the Accra Mayor Dr. Alfred Vanderpuije said Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) would not relent on its efforts to enforce laws of the land.

He warned prospective land developers and authorities who condoned and connived with such persons to grant building permits to desist from the act, saying they would not be spared when arrested.

The Mayor said AMA was concerned about the state of abattoirs in the metropolis and urged sanitary inspectors to intensify their visits to such places to ensure wholesome meat for public consumption.