Local Gov’t Minister calls for mobile planning units to support MMDAs

Mr Kwadwo Oppong Fosu, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, on Tuesday called for the deployment of mobile planning units throughout the regions to support efforts of Metropolitan, Municipal District Assemblies.

He stressed that the planning units would help in transforming the Regional Coordinating Councils (RCC’s) into decentralised bodies with the capacity of utilising its human and financial resources to make informed decisions.

Mr Fosu made the call in Accra at a day’s Information Session organised by the European Union (EU) to recognise the contribution made by local authorities in the development process.

The purpose of the Session was to educate local authorities on how to write good proposals that would help equip them on the funds EU would be offering them.

Mr Fosu described the RCC as the key institution to facilitate projects aimed at achieving socio-economic development.

Mr Claude Maerten, EU Ambassador said the Union has a long-standing collaboration with Ghana in the context of supporting the country’s decentralisation reform processes and strengthening service delivery.

This will ensure that local governments become the engine of governance and local level development.

Mr Maerten said after a long period of direct support to the government for local service delivery through micro-projects, the EU has changed its approach since 2007 towards a stronger emphasis on supporting the country in its policy agenda.

The three million Euros channeled through the Decentralisation Secretariat under the ninth European Development Fund was part of a three- year programme.

Nana Bright Oduro- Kwarteng, Chief Director of RCC hailed the intervention of the EU, explaining that the RCCs were faced with   resource challenges.

Source: GNA