Lawra (U/W), June 7, GNA - Alhaji Issahaque Salia, the Upper West Regional Minister, has appealed to Assemblies in the region to come out with comprehensive and useful programmes to improve on the lives of the people. He said they would be able to lead the development needs of the people if they diversify the revenue mobilization strategies to reap in more revenues from local sources.

Alhaji Salia was addressing members of the Lawra District Assembly at an orientation forum at Lawra on Monday.

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in collaboration with the Institute of Local Government Studies as well as the Regional Co-ordinating Council organized the forum.

Alhaji Salia advised the Assemblies to make bye-laws that would help enhance the capacity of the Assemblies, adding that anything short of that would raise questions about their relevance as Assemblies and they must be guided by that.

Alhaji Salia appealed to the Assembly members to make scarifies and work as a team with other stakeholders such as District Chief Executives, traditional rulers, heads of departments and the electorates to bring development to their communities.

"If we streamline the preparations and implementations of our plans and programmes to involve all the stakeholders we will certainly achieve better results and minimize any conflicts and misunderstandings", Alhaji Salia said. Mr Samson Abu, the Lawra District Chief Executive, said the role of the Assembly members was crucial in the decentralization process as they constituted the focal point of decision making at the grassroots.

Madam Virginia K. Saaliboh, the Presiding Member of the Assembly, appealed to the members to cooperate with the stakeholders to enhance development in the District.