CULTURAL NEWS
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Workshop for chiefs held at Wa
By: Williams Yaw Owusu
A Two-day advocacy workshop on how to access public funds to support development activities of traditional authorities in the Upper West Region has been held in Wa, the regional capital.
In attendance were 11 Paramount Chiefs and for other representatives, as well as District Chief Executives (DCEs), presiding members and women leaders.
It was organized by the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organizational Development (CIKOD), a non-governmental organization and sponsored by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF), a German organization promoting good governance and economic development in the country.
Addressing the participants, Mr. Ambrose P. Dery, the Regional Minister, noted that the involvement of traditional authorities in planning and implementing development programmes deserves the utmost attention of all stakeholders.
“Whatever is the case, it is pertinent for us to consider the enhancement of the contribution of traditional authorities in development.”
The Minister said it was necessary to consider traditional authorities especially those in the north in development because they faced constraints and that had made it difficult for them to contribute significantly to develop their areas.
He assured the chiefs of government’s commitment to support the development of their respective traditional areas.
Klaus D. Loetzer, country representative of KAF, said there could be no accelerated growth and development without the active involvement and participation of traditional authorities and chiefs.
He gave the assurance that KAF will continue to offer support strengthen economic development and social reforms of government, strengthen the role of Parliament, traditional institutions, and promote broad based participation of the citizenry to ensure accelerated growth and development.
Bernard Guri, Executive Director of CIKOD, said access to royalties from natural resources for traditional authorities in the southern sector to help them in the development of their areas was a great challenge for their counterparts in the north.
He said with the potential demonstrated by the chiefs in the Upper West Region so far, they are in a sound position to lead in the fight against poverty with little support.
*Source
The Ghanaian Times - Thursday, April 12, 2007 Page 13
|