The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, has handed over to Akwidaa, in the Ahanta West Municipal Assembly in the Western Region, some projects worth Three Hundred and Twenty-Eight Thousand, Six Hundred and Sixty-One Ghana Cedis (GH₡328,661.00) including the Rehabilitation of a 3 Unit Classroom Block and Construction of Store, Severy, 1 No Bathroom, 4 W/C Facility, a lobby, and a playground with aprons.

This forms part of a significant occasion organized to hand-over sub-projects implemented under the 3rd Cycle of the Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) Project in the ten (10) beneficiary Municipal and District Assemblies (M/DAs), as well as the graduation of Cash for Work (CfW) beneficiaries who have successfully completed the Employability Life Skills Programme under the leadership of the SoS Children’s Villages (SoS).

As part of the project design, the GrEEn initiative through the Cash for Work ((CfW) component provided capacity building training in employable life skills which was facilitated by the leadership of SoS Children’s Villages (SoS), encompassing various areas including soap making, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship, among others. A total of One Hundred and Forty-Eight (148) community members, consisting of Thirty-One (31) males and One Hundred and Seventeen (117) females benefited and  have been graduated.

In a statement read  by Deputy Director of Human Resource Directolrate at the Ministry, Shadrach Mensah, on behalf of the Hon. Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation And Rural Development, Martin  Adjei-Mensah Korsah (MP),  during the commissioning and hand-over, and graduation of the Cash for Work beneficiaries, on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, the honourable Minister  urged the Municipal Assembly to prioritise the operation and maintenance of these climate infrastructure projects, which includes ensuring sufficient budget allocation for Operation and Maintenance within the Municipal Assembly’s work plan and was hopeful with their support, the project mechanisms could be extended  to other MMDAs, especially those affected adversely by climate change, irregular migration and limited local economic development opportunities.

He called for additional support from the EU, UNCDF, and stakeholders-alike towards the extension or replacement of the GrEEn project adding that it was crucial for sustaining the progress made in mainstreaming strategies and objectives at the national, regional and district levels.

The GrEEn initiative focuses on the implementation of climate-resilient infrastructures and investment projects in local communities, including improving water supply through provision of boreholes, constructing footbridges and culverts, setting up greenhouse nets, conducting awareness campaigns to educate the local communities, particularly women and farmers and enhancing their ability to withstand the impacts of climate change and various crises. It is funded by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)

Present at the event were the Ahanta West Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. John Agyare, the Chief Director of the Western Regional Coordinating Council, Fredrick Agyemang, Technical Specialist from the UNCDF,  Angela Yayera Kwashie, Deputy Director of Human Resource Directolrate at the Ministry, Shadrach Mensah and some other staff from the Ministry and UNCDF.

Source: Sandra Owusu Asamoah

(Public Relations Unit, MLGDRD)

The Births and Deaths Registry has announced the commencement of a one-week mop-up exercise to register the births of 0 -12 months infants that are yet to be registered to aid in the achievement of accurate births and deaths records in the country as the cornerstone of public health and social development planning.

The mop-up exercise which targets the registration of 30,000 infants births is free of charge which kickstarted on Monday, July 22, 2024 and is expected to end on Friday, July 16, 2024 across all the 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the country.

The announcement was made when the Honourable Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD), Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, toured some agencies under the ministry including the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS), Births and Deaths Registry (BDR) and the Department of Parks and Gardens to ascertain challenges facing the agencies and how best to address them for an efficient and effective decentralised government.

At the Births and Deaths Registry (BDR), the Minister commended the BDR for enhancing their service delivery by decentralising their operations to the regional and district levels across the country and also incorporating modernised records keeping that would ensure easy accessibility and retrieval of accurate births and deaths records and assured them of his unwavering support to enable them better serve the country.

Speaking to the media at the Department of Parks and Gardens after the tour, the honourable minister issued a stern warning to estate developers and individuals encroaching on lands belonging to Parks and Gardens.

He unequivocally stated that he would vigorously protect and defend the state's interest in these public lands reiterating that whoever is found culpable would face the full rigorous of the law.

Source: Sandra Owusu Asamoah & Humble Owusu Yeboah

(Public Relations Unit, MLGDRD)

Odawna Market Project Inspection

The Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Mr. Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, conducted an inspection of the Odawna Market project in Accra.

The project aims to provide a modern market facility to enhance local commerce and boost economic activities. During the visit, the Minister set a completion deadline for September 2024, stressing the importance of adhering to this timeline to meet the needs of the market traders and the surrounding community. He highlighted the government's commitment to ensuring the project's timely delivery and urged all stakeholders to collaborate effectively.

Mallam Market Quality Concerns

In contrast, the Minister expressed significant disappointment with the rehabilitation work at Mallam Market. The project, which involved constructing a facility for traders' children, was found to be of poor quality. The Minister criticized the substandard work and instructed the Municipal Chief Executive to take immediate steps to rectify the issues.

He emphasized that government funds should not be wasted on subpar projects and insisted on maintaining high construction standards.

Dr. Andrews Kwablah of NKA Consult, the firm responsible for the project, acknowledged the Minister's concerns and assured that measures would be taken to address the deficiencies. He committed to improving the quality of the work to meet the required standards.

Government’s Stance on Quality and Accountability

The Minister's inspections underscore the government's dedication to ensuring the quality and timely completion of market projects. By setting clear deadlines and holding contractors accountable, the government aims to enhance local infrastructure and support economic growth. The focus on quality also reflects a broader commitment to using public funds efficiently and delivering value to the community.