MMDCEs charged to provide leadership in implementing LED policy
The Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr. Stephen Ackah on Thursday, tasked the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to provide leadership and direction in the implementation of the Local Economic Development (LED) policy framework.
He said the LED policy was an alternative development model for the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAS) to partner the private sector in enhancing the local economy.
This partnership would provide an opportunity for the MMDAs and other stakeholders to utilize the resources in the area to create employment and increase the earnings of the people for an accelerated national development, he said.
Mr. Ackah made the call at the opening of a three-day capacity workshop for MMDCEs, budget officers, planners, business advisory committees and district coordinators on the use of the LED operational manual in Takoradi.
The event was aimed at equipping the participants to understand the LED policy framework and integrate them into the medium term development agenda of the MMDAs.
It was organised by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme and International Labour Organisation.
Mr. Ackah entreated the MMDAs to treat the LED initiatives with all the necessary urgency in order to galvanize support from the private sector to speed up the local economy.
The Deputy Minister indicated that the Ministry had established a LED Secretariat to facilitate and promote the smooth implementation of the various initiatives across the country.
He explained that since Ghana attained independence in 1957, successive governments had implemented various development programmes to accelerate economic growth; however, there were a number of macroeconomic and structural challenges limiting the sustainability of the local economy.
It is against this backdrop, that the government developed and adopted the National framework for LED to strengthen economic development at the local level.
In an address, the Western Regional Minister, Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, said the local Government Act, (Act 462 of 1993) mandated the assemblies to stimulate growth at the local level by formulating and implementing economic development strategies, in tandem with the overall national medium term development plan.
Mr. Edem Senanu, the Lead Facilitator for the LED National Technical Committee, entreated the MMDAs to set up sub-committees to facilitate the implementation of the programme,
Source: GNA