Decentralisation is key to country's development....Nii Moi Thompson

An economist, Dr Nii Moi Thompson has noted that decentralization of the country's resources is the key to the nation's economic growth.

According to him, the central government monopolizes the nation's resources much to the detriment of the local assemblies.

In an interview with the Joy FM's Super Morning Show Host, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Dr Thompson explained that “the national economy is the aggregation of the local economy,” stressing the need to develop the local economy.

“ To grow the national economy, we must necessarily pay attention to what is going on locally.That we have not done; local and social economic development have lagged way behind,” he noted.

He noted worryingly that though the constitution mandates central governments to release such national resources to the local communities for effective development, it rather takes the resources away from the local people.

Dr Thompson cited the example of the District Assemblies Common Fund, noting that some districts get only 20 percent what is due them while a whole chunk of their money sits in the capital, Accra.

“I remember going to Cape Coast or Elmina Castle and asking them why the place was so filthy despite all the monies they get; and they told me that all the monies are actually sent back to Accra,” he said.

“So, we need to emphasize and accelerate the process of the decentralization as a way of pushing resources back to the local communities,” he stressed; cautioning that “otherwise, both growth and development will remain an illusion for a long time.”

By: Dorcas Efe Mensah/myjoyonline