Ghana selected for Commonwealth pilot programme

Tema, May 20, GNA - Ghana has been selected to participate in a Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) which is a pilot programme aimed at helping municipal assemblies to realise their potentials for effective municipal administration.

The Tema Municipal Assembly (TMA) has been selected and its recommendation was made by the Greenwich Borough of London in order to use the opportunity to strengthen the existing links between Greenwich and Tema, Mr Kwame Kenyah, Research Officer of the National Association of Local Government (NALAG) announced on Thursday at Tema.

He was briefing assembly members at the opening of the ordinary general assembly meeting of the TMA, which was attended by heads of departments of various establishments and traditional rulers.

The Research Officer stated that the national executive council of the NALAG was informed about TMA's selection and it gave its approval. He said Ghana has been selected among five other countries for the three- year programme, which would be conducted under the theme "Local Economic Development".

Mr Kenyah indicated that three municipalities in Ghana are supposed to participate in the programme and the selections of the other two others are still in process.

In an address, Mr Samuel Evans Ashong Narh, Tema Municipal Chief Executive said at the close of the first quarter of March this year, nine billion cedis was generated in rates and fees, while internally generated fund yielded 3.6 billion cedis.

In a speech read for him, Mr Ishmael Ashitey, Minister of State in charge of Trade, Industry and President's Special Initiatives entreated the TMA to impress on enterprises that contribute to waste generation to adopt more friendly technologies including installation of waste recycling facilities.