The conference of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) has resolved to vigorously support the President’s vision, policies, programmes and projects in the execution of the Better Ghana agenda.

This was contained in a communique issued by the MMDCEs at a three day conference at GIMPA on the theme:"Implementing the Better Ghana Agenda: The sixth Milestone".
 
Mr James Gunu, District Chief Executive of the Akatsi North District who presented the communique on behalf of the MMDCEs inidicated that the conference has inspired and energized them for the course of implementing the Better Ghana Agenda;and pledged to among other things run people centered local governance and decentralized policies to create jobs and wealth for our people.

The Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives also made a number of recommendations to government including urging government to sustain the fight against illegal mining in order to save the environment and water bodies; urging government to deploy additional qualified personnel of the land valuation Board and the Town and Country Planning Departments to help MMDAs in the valuation of all ratable properties; among others.

Read the full communique below:

COMMUNIQUÉ FROM THE METROPOLITAN, MUNICIPAL AND DISTRICT CHIEF EXECUTIVES’ CONFERENCE ORGANSIED AT GIMPA FROM 6-9 MAY, 2014 ON THE THEME IMPLEMENTING THE BETTER GHANA AGENDA: THE SIXTH MILE STONE.

INTRODUCTION
We, the Two Hundred and Sixteen (216) MMDCES from the ten regions of Ghana having met from 7th to 9th May 2014 at GIMPA Accra for a Conference and having deliberated extensively on the theme of the Conference: ‘Implementing the Better Ghana Agenda: The sixth milestone’, do acknowledge and appreciate the effort been made by the NDC government to deepen Decentralization and Local governance in Ghana.

GRATITUDE
The Conference of MMDCEs wishes to express its gratitude to all who contributed to making this meeting a success namely:
• His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana, John  Mahama for his words of inspiration and guidance which set the tone for our reflections;
• The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Akwasi Opong-Fosu, The two Deputy Ministers, Hon. Baba  Jamal  and Hon. Emmanuel Agyekum;
• All Resource Persons and in particular the Dr. Callistus Mahama, Conference Coordinator.

CONGRATULATIONS
The address by H.E The President and Commander in Chief of the Ghana Arm forces was very inspiring and unprecedented. We also seized the opportunity to congratulate H.E President John Dramani Mahama on his election as the Chairman of the Economic Community of West Africa States ECOWAS. It is our hope and prayer that, all member states would give him the needed support to succeed to the benefit of the sub region.

RESOLUTIONS
 The Conference of MMDCEs, hereby resolve that:
• We have come out of this conference more inspired and energized to the course of implementing the Better Ghana Agenda;
• That we shall vigorously support H.E the President’s vision, policies, programmes and projects in the execution of the better Ghana agenda;
• We shall continue to:
• Run people centered local governance and decentralized policies to create jobs and wealth for our people;
• Ensure an improved, resilient and strong local economy;
• Expand infrastructure at the local level of our various MMDAs;
• Ensure Transparency and accountability at the various MMDAs.
• We shall be more proactive and innovative in mobilizing resources for development at the MMDAs especially IGF
• We shall provide quality administrative and political leadership to our people in accordance with the Code of Conduct for political office holders even in the midst of provocations.
• We shall implement all presidential priority programmes at the local level to the benefits of our people including the Street Naming and Property Addressing System (SNPAS), CHPS compounds and kindergartens.
• We shall work closely with the traditional authorities and other stakeholders to create jobs and wealth for the teaming youth within our various MMDAs by promoting LED;
• We shall work very hard at strengthening the assembly’s sub structures to give meaning to the decentralization and local governance system;
• Sanitation and waste management remain one of our top most priorities as MMDAs;
•  Together with the media, we shall inform our people of the progress we are making in the implementation of the Better Ghana Agenda. We admit that even though a lot have been achieved under the Better Ghana Agenda, we have not been able to publicize them enough.

RECOMMENDATIONS
We recommend that:
• The fight against illegal mining should be sustained in order to save our environment and water bodies;
• Agricultural inputs must be supplied to our farmers on time to assist them boast agric business at the MMDAs;
• The land valuation Board  and the Town and Country Planning Departments must as a matter of urgency deploy  additional qualified personnel to help MMDAs in the valuation of all ratable properties;
• The Local Government Service Secretariat must expedite action in meeting  the human resource needs of all MMDAs
• The  Head of Local Government Service must apply sanctions to its staff whose actions and inactions may have caused MMDAs to fail the FOAT and thereby deny any MMDA of the District Development Facility (DDF);
• MMDAs must be given more power in the management Human Resource Management of the MMDAs. This would help bring a lot of discipline in the local governance and our decentralization system.
• In as much as we have Urban Development Grant UDG for Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies, we must also establish Rural Development Grants for Rural District Assemblies who need development most to prevent Rural Urban drift. This must be geared toward reducing Rural Urban Migration.
• The Consolidated Local Government Bill is a laudable idea and should be enacted as early as possible.
• All Funds due MMDAs should be released on time for easy implementation of the Better Ghana Agenda.

CONCLUSION
We urge all stakeholders in the local governance and decentralization process would play their roles effectively, efficiently and proactively in the implementation of the Better Ghana Agenda.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanadistricts.com