Germany pledges to support Ghana’s decentralisation programme

Dr Renate Schimkoreit, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, has pledged her country’s support to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) to facilitate the successful implementation of the decentralization programme.

According to her, Germany considered the decentralization programme as a crucial and vital initiative for the development of every country and would constantly exchange ideas with Ghana for its success.

Dr Schimkoreit said this when she paid a courtesy call on Mr Akwasi Opong- Fosu, Minister of MLGRD in Accra recently.

She was accompanied by Dr Siegfriend C. Leffler, Country Director of GIZ and Brit Horschke, Director KFW Office in Ghana.

“As partners of the decentralization, we are proud of the programme’s achievement in an area like Tamale for instance but with extra support from them more can be done”, she said.

Receiving the Ambassador, Mr Fosu said President John Mahama was very keen to see the Ministry accelerate the pace of the decentralization programme and would welcome support from partners like Germany.

He said the President was expecting time lines and results from the Ministry’s programmes, adding that such assistance from their partners would help them to deliver.

“We are much interested in the delivery of services to the people to improve their living conditions and decentralization should not only be supply-driven but must be demand-driven as well”, the Minister said.

Mr Fosu commended the German Government for its immense contribution to Ghana and expressed the hope that the cordial relationship between them would continue.

Source: GNA