By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Sekondi, May 29, GNA- Mr. Sheriff Amarh, the General Secretary of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana, (NALAG), has lauded the President for advocating a proper renumeration system for Assembly members in the various districts across the country.
He noted that Assembly members with direct dealings with the people had much social and financial responsibilities towards society and that working without appropriate compensation left much to be desired aside from the stress in the line of duty to the state.
Mr. Amarh, at the opening of a two-day workshop for Presiding Members and Finance and Administration staff of district Assemblies at Sekondi, said, “we are pushing hard on this government’s question to resource members as well as prompt payment of end of service benefits”.
The General Secretary said the Association had also worked on a formula for the distribution and allocation of the DACF, adding, “we have been engaging the Administrator of DACF and we also made plain allocations, this time no secrecy on who gets what”.
Turning attention on the Training, Mr. Amarh noted how strategic it was to help fresh assembly members as well as Presiding Members to have a grasp on financial mobilisation and how they could support to rake in more and ensure its judicious use.
He said training was crucial for quality human resources, thus the responsibility of NALAG to retool members for optimum performance.
The General Secretary encouraged the members to network for holistic development of the country.
Mr. Fredrick Faustinus Faidoo, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Chief Executive, who opened the workshop, said knowledge and financial management was crucial to grow the wealth of the Assemblies, adding, “take the knowledge seriously, grasp whatever you can to help in local and national development“.
He said the government was ready to collaborate with persons and institutions with a crave for National development and urged the various Assemblies to champion and actually become worthy ambassadors.
The NALAG, promotes development of Local government administration and decentralisation in Ghana through Advocacy and Lobbying, protect the rights, privileges and interests of all member District Assemblies as may be affected by existing and future legislation or policies, assist in maintaining high standards of Local government (Administration) service delivery.
It provides a forum for discussion and exchange of ideas, experience and information on matters of mutual interest related to local government and decentralisation.
The Association also co-operate with other bodies and agencies both national and international with identical objectives for the promotion of effective and efficient local governance.
Topics treated included, fiscal decentralisation, Revenue Leakages, Model Standing orders and Public Finance Management.
GNA
Edited By Justina Paaga/Christian Akorlie