Government To Strengthen Decentralisation Process

The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hon Joseph Yieleh Chireh, has afirmed  Government's commitment to strengthen the local government system, adding that the decentralisation process which will help develop our local communities will have to be implemented properly.

According to him, decentralisation can only be enhanced when the media make information readily available to the people in the communities.

The Minister made this known when the World Bank Country Director, Ishac Diwan, led a delegation to pay a working visit to him, in Accra, saying, information should be packaged properly in order to help the communities make informed decisions in their respective areas.

'People must be interviewed in their various localities so as to help policy makers in their decision making,' the Minister added.

He noted that if people are equipped with the right information, they can be held responsible for their actions and inactions.

He promised Government's support in the field of capacity building in order to get the right people to do the job. He also called on development partners to help strengthen the process of decentralisation in the country.

The Country Director lauded the contribution of some community radio stations in the country but was quick to add that some information that are vital to the people which could make them hold politicians accountable for their stewardship should be put on the air waves.

These he said, include information that addresses environmental pollution and how to keep it clean, adding, 'Ghana has to work towards the supply of portable water for the consumption of the general public.'

Mr Diwan handed over a proposal on how to protect the environment and assured the availability of funding for its implementation to protect the environment.