Bolgatanga (UER) 8 Nov., GNA - Mr. Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister, has said that government was organizing national stakeholders' conference in all the regions to ascertain conceptual issues in Ghana's decentralization process.

He said it was also to create an opportunity for all sections of the population to contribute to the process and review its implementation for the past 29 years and make proposals for the way forward. Mr Woyongo was speaking at a consultation forum in Bolgatanga on Friday, as part of measures aimed at accelerating the decentralization concept in the Country.

The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development and Member of Parliament for Wa West, Mr. Joseph Yieleh Chireh said that the essence of decentralisation was to allow all Ghanaians to take active part in governing the state through Unit Committees and the District Assemblies. He said inputs at the forum will be documented and used by the government to build the people's capacity and urged traditional leaders to sensitize the people on the need to take part in decision-making.

Dr. Esther Ofei-Aboagye said the assemblies were mandated to formulate and execution programmes and develop strategies for effective mobilization of resources for development.

She said the decentralisation concept sought to encourage creation of institutional relationship between central government, municipal, district and metropolitan assemblies and community based organizations. Mr. Samuel Zan-Akolgo of Send-Ghana Foundation, a non governmental organization, working to promote the decentralization process, said there was the need for direct participation of the citizenry in the process to ensure its success.