Ayariga: two and a half years enough to fix local government
Local Government Minister Mahama Ayariga says the Mahama administration still has enough time to overhaul Ghana’s local governance system, insisting that many of its longstanding problems can be resolved through better leadership and coordination rather than entirely new structures.
Speaking about the state of local governance, Ayariga argued that inefficiencies within the system are largely the result of management and organisational challenges that can be addressed if institutions work more effectively together.
“I believe that even though I have barely two and a half years, I believe that that is enough time to fix the system,” he said on the Citi Breakfast Show.
The minister indicated that improving the performance of local authorities would be a key focus of his tenure, stressing that district assemblies and local administrations represent the face of government for many citizens.
According to him, strengthening collaboration between regional ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives and other stakeholders could significantly improve service delivery and public confidence in local governance.
Ayariga also suggested that local government institutions already have access to considerable resources, but those resources have not always been deployed effectively to solve pressing community challenges.
Drawing on his experience in various government roles, he said he intends to focus on improving coordination and ensuring existing resources are used more efficiently to produce better results at the local level.
The comments come as the government continues efforts to deepen decentralisation and improve the effectiveness of local administration across the country.
Source: CNR
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