Techiman, (B/A) June 23, GNA - A three-day workshop on local governance in Ghana for 100 participants made up of Chiefs, unit committees, assembly members, traders and business men and women drawn from Techiman, Wenchi, and Kintampo districts has ended at Techiman. The workshop was organised by Ghana Union Traders Association (GUTA) in collaboration with Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF) under the theme "the informal sector and local governance"

Mr. Isaac Owusu-Mensah of the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, Legon and Programmes Officer of KAF, said the activities of KAF as an independent, non-profit making German Political Foundation were guided by the principles of Christian Democratic Movement, Traditional International Co-operation. Mr. Owusu-Mensah explained that KAF's objectives in the country were, among other things supporting economic and socio-political reforms of the government, promoting the participation of all strata of society in the political process, especially through programmes for political education at the grassroot levels as well as promoting gender equality as a cross-cutting task.

He said KAF, since 2003 has focussed its support on organising workshops to promote private sector growth through the establishment of appropriate business laws.

He said KAF/PEF in collaboration, would this year focus on organising meeting with Parliamentarians and business executives with a few to striking the necessary relationship to achieve its advocacy role while in future advocacy capacity of trade and business association at the district levels would be strengthened.

Mr. Owusu-Mensah revealed that KAF had, for the past 40 years in the country, started with a modest assistance that had grown to a sizeable exposure with many organisations and industries and expressed the hope that the cordial relationship that existed between the foundation and its many partners would continue to grow stronger so that a strong and stable economy bolstered by political pluralism and stability can be achieved.

Mr. Prince Yaw Donyina, Municipal Chief Executive for Techiman, bemoaned the attitude of the struggle for money by Ghanaians instead of concentrating on human resource development (HRD) to improve their skills to earn a better living.

Mr. Donyina appealed to KAF to design measures geared towards a good economy, adding that since marketing was dynamic, traders should be supported by small and medium enterprise banks to enhance their businesses.

Mr. Donyina urged the participants to extend what they had been taught to others who did not gain the opportunity to attend the workshop so that they could support the government in its HRD strategies.

Mr. Isaac Osei- Antwi, former Municipal Chief Executive for Techiman, who spoke on the topic: "the decentralization system and the private sector - the role of the Ghana union traders association (GUTA), described decentralization as the restricting of authority so that there would be a system of co-responsibility among institutions of governance at the central, regional and local levels.

This, he noted, would increase the overall quality and effectiveness of the system of governance and also help in increasing the authority and capacity of sub-national levels. He stated that, there could be no meaningful development of the people without functioning and sustainable organisations formed by the people.

There should therefore be effective self-help initiatives and the empowerment of local people in order to meet the challenges of development.

He said GUTA has a role in making an input into assemblies fee-fixing resolutions, tax education, payment of taxes, repayment of loans granted them and also enhance democracy through meaningful contributions to decision making at the assemblies with regard to matters that confronted their operations.

Mr. Osei-Antwi appealed to GUTA not to politicise the association but to help in the decentralization process, which stood for private sector development.

Mr. Osei - Assibbey, Consultant, Centre for Business and Development (CBD), Kumasi, speaking on 'strategies and lobby skills required for elections at the local levels', challenged the women to take to active politics in the district and municipal assembly level elections towards sustenance of good governance.

Mr. Assibbey asked them to set out platform management skills to win elections by letting the people to hear what they want and to also strengthen their polling agents at the polling stations to avoid rigging.

Earlier, Mr. Jimmy Yeboah Assiamah, Techiman Municipal Secretary of GUTA called for attention and efforts towards the expansion of income generating activities to support women and their families as well as poverty alleviation programmes through provision of financial support to small scale business, artisans and other vulnerable economic groups in the communities.

Mr. Yeboah-Assiamah was optimistic that as members of GUTA, new relationship would be forged at the district and sub-district levels to establish the necessary rapport, trust and confidence among all agents of development to ensure socio-economic cooperation. Nana Adwoa Yeboah, Deasihemaa of Bono Manso, who presided advised the women who would aspire to become assembly members to use decent language at their platforms to gain popular recognition. 24 June 06