Local Economic Development (LED) initiatives have been rolled out by the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Assembly to empower state and non-state actors within the Municipality to be agent for development.

As part of the measures for the implementation of the LED project, the Assembly has organized a two-day sensitization workshop for the various departmental staffs and business executives within the Kpone-Katamanso Municipality.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Kpone at the weekend Mrs Gertrude Abebleh, Deputy Director of the Assembly who is also the LED Focal Person, explained that the concept was to assist the various MMDAs build up local business within their jurisdiction.

She noted that sections 12 (1) (b) of the Local Governance Act 2016 (Act 936) mandated the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to promote local economic development activities hence the need to organize the workshop.

Mrs Abebleh said the Municipal Assembly could take advantage of some existing business within its jurisdiction to bring the needed development to the doorsteps of the people.

According to her, the MMDAs should be run as serious business ventures for rapid development.

She said Kpone-Katamanso Municipality could make more gains if proper and effective measures to build up business were put in place, adding that it was time the Municipal Assembly helped businesses grow to reduce the unemployment challenges within the Municipality.

She explained that the Municipal Assembly through its LED Committee was going to engage persons in carpentry, aquaculture, automobile, metal fabrication, amongst other business, to shore up the Assembly’s prospect with regard to job creation.

Mr Solomon Tetteh Appiah, the Municipal Chief Executive, said the LED initiatives also aimed to assist Assembly members to undertake specific projects within their electoral areas towards development.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Appiah said the initiative would help accelerate the development within the various electoral areas in conformity with the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) belief in development in freedom.

He pledged to work and connect with the appropriate authorities to ensure that Kpone-Katamanso received its due share of the national cake as far as development was concerned.

Mr Appiah noted that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was determined under his second-term mandate to accelerate development initiated during his first term.

He said the Assembly will ensure that it achieve set target and objectives to serve the people.

The Two days LED workshop was attended by government parastatals within the Municipality as well as private business owners, including the Municipal Chief Executive, the Presiding Member and the Coordinating Director.