Tamale, Sept. 13, GNA - Alhaji Yakubu Ibrahmah, a former Municipal Chief Executive for Tamale Metropolis, has described Ghana's public administration as one of the best in the sub-region. He, therefore, called for a holistic commitment and support from Ghanaians towards the full realization of the decentralization concept, which he said, would ensure a fair equitable distribution of national resources.

He, however, said the programme was beset with environmental, geological, conflicts, political and financial challenges which made it difficult for its full benefits to be achieved. Alhaji Ibrahmah raised these concerns in Tamale on Wednesday during a day's stakeholders meeting on District Educational Oversight Committee (DEOC).

The workshop was organized by Action Aid for selected districts where it operates to brainstorm on challenges facing the DEOC and how to redress them to improve the standard of education in those communities. Participants were selected from the education sector, the DCEs, Presiding Members (PMs) of Assemblies, Non Governmental Organisation (NGOs), PTAs and students.

Alhaji Ibrahmah said the sufficiency of a decentralization process to achieve its objectives depended on the identification of the totality of the challenges to the process and the conscious planning to operationalise the process.

Mr Yakubu Saani, the Programme Manager for Action Aid, called for effective functioning of the DEOC in achieving the educational objectives at the district levels.

He also called for proper accountability and honesty among stakeholders in the discharge of their duties to ensure the realization of equitable and quality educational systems in the country. Mr Saani assured the participants of Action Aid's commitment to improving the standard of living of people in its areas of operation. The participants called for 0.5 per cent of the District Assembly's Common Fund (DACF) to be set aside for educational purpose so as to improve infrastructure and facilities for learning. They also recommended for an experienced educationist to oversee the functions of the DEOC and to de-politicize it so that its objectives would be realised.