ADOPT MEASURES TO COPE WITH INFLUX OF PEOPLE...Aidoo urges assemblies (PAGE 35, NOV 4, 2010)

THE Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, has stressed the need for metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies in the region to think about measures to be put in place to cope with the influx of people into the region when the drilling of the oil starts.
He stated that a lot of resources would be available to meet the increasing needs of people in the region.
Mr Aidoo said for instance that there would be increase in the demand for social amenities such as schools, hospitals, water facilities, energy supply among others, as the towns grew.
“We must eschew all corrupt tendencies and ensure that people derive maximum benefits from any public venture,” he said, adding “Again let me remind all and sundry that the NDC believes that corruption thrives in a system that is not transparent or unaccountable and irresponsive to the needs and concerns of our people”.
This was contained in an address read on Mr Aidoo’s behalf by the Western Regional Co-ordinating Director, Mr David Yaro, at the opening ceremony of a four-day workshop on financial regulation management and accounting for 105 officials from metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies in the region.
The workshop organised by the Local Government Service in conjunction with the Institute of Local Government, was meant to explain the concept and importance of revenue mobilisation, explain the theory of physical decentralisation systems, to review the key reforms and trend of public finance and also to enable participants to understand the roles and relationship between central and local government.
It was attended by district co-ordinating directors, presiding members, budget analysts, finance officers, internal auditors and chairmen of finance and administrative subcommittees of the various assemblies in the region.
Mr Aidoo said as social democrats, the government sought to partner all citizens to eradicate corruption, deepen political accountability and transparency in governance and enhance the discourse of budgets and procedures adopted in public accounts.
“It is for these reasons that workshops like these are very useful. It will surely enhance your knowledge and enable all of us to strive to do the right things to avoid embarrassing situations,” he said.
The regional minister stressed that as managers of their respective assemblies, they were expected to live above board in their administration by attaining a good knowledge of the laws in order to eliminate waste so as to make savings for further development.
He explained that the workshop was a tool to sharpen the participants’ administrative and managerial skills so that they could do what was expected of them.
“Permit me to say that the task ahead of us and the challenges that we encounter as we endeavour to implement these financial regulations are insurmountable,” Mr Aidoo stated.
He said, “As we go through these four-day training session some of our difficulties will be addressed so that we leave here with a better understanding of the subject matter”.