Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), Hajia Alima Mahama has assured Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) of government’s commitment towards resolving their challenges to enhance service delivery.

She said the government has embarked on constructing new offices across the country for the Assemblies to work more efficiently.

According to her, vehicles, computers, office desk and so on were provided to help the newly created MMDAs function properly.

The Minister said this in a speech delivered on her behalf by Mr C.K Dondieu, Chief Director, MLGRD at an Awards ceremony in Accra to acknowledge ten MMDAs for their performance in 2018 in the Local Government Service Performance Contracts assessment ranking.

She said as part of capacity building, the Ministry in collaboration with the Institute of Local Government Studies had organised a nationwide orientation and training programme for newly elected and appointed assembly members to deepen their knowledge of the local government system.

She said the Ministry had also instituted measures to help improve the Internally Generated Funds of the Assemblies to achieve the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda.

Head of the Local Government Service, Dr Nana Ato Arthur said to engender competition among MMDAs, an award scheme has been instituted by the OHLGS not only to reward excellence but also to stimulate district level performance to deepen local governance.

“The 2018 ranking, One Hundred and Twenty Three (123) out of the then Two Hundred and Sixteen (216) Assemblies performed creditably well and I am particularly excited at this sterling performance despite limited resources available at their disposal,” he said.

He said the awards to the Assemblies would demonstrate resilience and deploy the Ghanaian “Can Do Spirit” to make great strides in their respective areas of operation leading to the achievement of results.

“By your efforts, you have proved that the LGS is on its way to greatness,” he said.