Govt committed to decentralisation, job creation – Mensah Korsah

The Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, has highlighted the government’s commitment to decentralisation and job creation through infrastructure development and regional office establishments.

He emphasised that the ministry is fostering local collaboration between various ministries and agencies to localise services and activities with the objective of making management more effective and responsive.

In an interview with Citi News, the Minister stated that this strategy aims to accelerate development and boost local economies by bringing services closer to the grassroots level.

He indicated that “The process is a gradual one, there are very key ministries whose work interface with us and whom the target is on to be sure that we can further decentralise. If we look at education, there is a plan to make sure that we centralise as much as we can.

“So that within the local space, managing education becomes a reality. And then making it much more effective rather than having a unit at the top. Managing a system with a huge base that is later moved to effectively tackle it. The whole concept of decentralisation is to take away power and give to another,” he noted

The Minister also indicated that the creation of new regions by the government has enhanced national representation and promoted a more inclusive and consultative governance process.

He further stated, “Virtually every facility that exists in the then region, which those far have thought they were not benefiting from and felt alienated or cut off. Today is not the case you put governance to them, and all these facilities are being replicated. So, if you come to the Bono East, they are now going to have a regional hospital. If you go to Sunyani, Bono has a regional hospital and of course that of Ahafo. So, within the same landmass, you are sort of doubling or adding more of the facilities that people critically need.”

“What it means is that you are creating jobs invariably because those facilities that you build, you are not going to import anybody from somewhere to come work, they are Ghanaians and so the benefit comes in many ways. Apart from centralising, serving governance closer to the people and accelerating the rate of development. You are also making sure that you create employment and then you deepen the decision-making process by bringing on board all structures that were not part of it.”