By Mercy Darko
Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia has tasked local government institutions to fashion out effective and efficient strategies to mobilize resources, plug leakages, and ensure fiscal discipline in the use of the scarce resources available to them.
He said it is time for the Local Government Service to rebrand itself to provide excellent services to strengthen local government structures. Dr Bawumia made these remarks when he commissioned the new edifice for the Local Government Service in Accra.
He urged the Head of Service, Dr. Nana Ato Arthur and his Management team and the entire staff to work assiduously to broaden the horizon and blaze the trail in local government administration as dividend of this monumental investment by the nation.
Established in 2003, the Local Government Service has the mandate to among other things provide technical assistance to District Assemblies to enable them to effectively perform their functions and discharge their duties in accordance with the Constitution. The construction of the 30 million Ghana Cedis building was solely financed by the District Assemblies Common Fund.
Dr Bawumia noted that the Governments over the years have made significant strides to bring governance closer to the citizenry, particularly with the establishment of the Local Government Service. He said financing this project entirely from Government of Ghana’s coffers notwithstanding the economic challenges, demonstrates of the government’s unflinching support and commitment for local government administration. He, therefore, charged LGS to aggressively leverage technology in transacting official business.
The Minister of State at the Ministry of Local Governance, Decentralization and Rural Development, Obed Bonsu Amoah in a remark urged the staff of the Local Government Service to properly manage the use of the building.
The Head of the Local Government Service, Ing. Dr. Nana Ato Arthur said the new edifice has enough space to accommodate staff and other official business. It will therefore save the service from using scarce resources to host events.
The facility offers 40 offices and the conducive environment required to motivate staff to give their best. Other facilities include a 600-seater capacity auditorium, a Board room and two general conference rooms, a library and a terrace.
