A two-day workshop organized by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in collaboration with the Institute of Local Government Studies for members of the Mfantseman Municipal Assembly has been held at Saltpond.
The workshop was to give the assembly members, most of whom were new to the district assembly concept, insight into their work.
Addressing the participants, Mr Henry Kweku Hayfron, Municipal Chief Executive, advised them to take the workshop seriously as the unit constituted the basis for development in the emerging local government system.
“As you are being exposed to your functions, it would lead to the elimination of role conflicts associated with assembly members,” the MCE pointed out.
Mr John Etuah, Municipal Budget Analyst and a facilitator, reminded the participants that the District Assembly Concept was non-partisan therefore they must put aside their party affiliations to enable the assembly to move in unison.
Mr Frank Obeng-Dapaah, Central Regional Economic Planning Officer and Mr Charles Kotey, Director, Human Resource Management at the Local Government Service Secretariat took the 89 members through revenue mobilization, participation and accountability, model standing order, functions of the various committees and contemporary issues.
Mr Obeng-Dapaah advised the assembly members, both elected and appointed to team up to manage their electoral areas.
Mr Alex Beecham, Presiding Member, commended the organizers of the workshop and the facilitators for educating on the assembly concept.
He noted that only nine out of the 89-member assembly were old members.
He called for the empowerment of the Unit Committees and Town and Area Councils to enable them function effectively.
Mr Beecham appealed to the government to offer remuneration to assembly members to motivate them to perform effectively.