The Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin II, has advocated the setting up of a ministry in all 16 regions as part of the decentralisation process.
“As a strong advocate for the decentralisation process over the years, I do not understand why everything is located in Accra, the national capital,” he said. He said such a strategic move would ensure the transfer of ministries, agencies and government departments currently situated in Accra strategically to specific regions in order to drive the development of the nation.
“What is the Forestry Commission, for instance, doing in Accra? What is the Agriculture Ministry doing in Accra?” he asked.
Anniversary lecture
The Okyenhene made the call when he delivered a lecture at the Jophus Anamuah-Mensah Conference Hall of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) as part of the 25th-anniversary celebrations of the university last Wednesday.
He was speaking on the topic: “The role of science and technology in the provision of quality education for sustainable national development.”
Open up
Osagyefuo Amoatia stated that development could be spread across the country for the ultimate benefit of ordinary Ghanaians if his suggestion that each of the 16 regions in Ghana should have at least one ministry was taken serious.
He said such an initiative would promote commerce, connect disadvantaged people to economic opportunities, prevent people from moving from their communities to other areas in search of non-existent jobs and opportunities as well create opportunities for the nation.
“If we have the courage to do this as a nation, trust me the fortunes of this country would definitely be turned around,” he stated. Osagyefuo Amoatia said although traditional rulers were not policymakers, they provided ideas to be tapped into by policymakers.
Science education
Touching on the topic, he called on the government to introduce a comprehensive science and technology education programme to prepare the youth to be competitive in today’s ever-changing technological world.
The Okyenhene pointed out that the government needed to make huge investments in science and technology education at all levels of education to enable the country to train qualified human resources to catch up with the rest of the world.
“Students aspiring to take up various professions in the sciences must be provided with state-of-the-art libraries, laboratories and other facilities that would adequately prepare them for the job market,” he said.
Delivering on mandate
The Vice-Chancellor of the UEW, Rev. Fr Professor Anthony Afful-Broni, said the UEW, which was the fastest-growing university in Ghana with a current student population of 85,004, was focused on delivering on its mandate to train qualified and competent teachers for the country.
Source: graphic.com.gh
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I AM GLAD PEOPLE ARE THINKING. NATIONS PROGRESS WHEN CITIZENS THINK TO ARRIVE AT THE BEST SOLUTION TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS. WE MUST ALWAYS PROMOTE THINKING OUT OF THE BOX TO ADVANCE LIFE AND THE SOCIETY.WE MUST STUDY AND COMPARE SITUATIONS IN DIFFERENT PLACES TO ADOPT THE BEST SUITABLE OPTION TO OUR CONDITION. EVERY SOCIETY NEEDS CHANGE BUT WE MUST BE CAREFUL WITH BLIND COPY.
Okyehene is right. If you go to U.A.E for instance. dubai is the richest city but abu dhabi is the capital. they have decentralized everything.The prisons head office is at Jamaira. Cant we build new prison head office in Northern Region or other region since Nsawam is no more safe? Agric ministry should move to the northern Zone, Mines energy to wetsern region. all the ministers and deputies are in accra attending parties upon partie. If you move to tamale you will work hard. Sydney is Australia capital but melbourne is the richest city because of it's resources. Decentralization is the way forward. If you want police clearance certificate unless you go to CID head office, so what is the function of regional police station? If you want to travel international by air unless you use kotoka airport. why?
Thumps up, Kwaku Yeboah. Exactly my thinking too. Let many of the processes be done at the regional or district level. Hence push more staff to these levels and leave a lean qualified staff with the minister in Accra.
Almost every country has headquarters in the capital. The Ministries are already in the regions through the Local Government. What he should be saying is that they should decentralise more staff to the regions and let the HQ be mainly for coordination and liaison. With a lean but qualified and dedicated technocrats working with the Minister. There should be no deputy minister, the heads of agencies are technical heads and can support minister and the operational head should be the Chief Director. Ministries should be efficient and highly qualified, the over bloated Ministries is where the challenge lies and it consumes a lot of budget. Ministers should focus on political leadership. Over to you Nana
THIS SOUND PLAUSIBLE. THE QUESTION IS HOW PRACTICABLE IT IS. FOR DUMBS THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE. FOR THINKERS LET US CONSIDER THE PRO AND CONS OF THE SUGGESTED INNOVATION. THE WORLD IS MOVING AND WE HAVE TO MOVE ALONG WITH IT.
The Bible cautions us to remain quiet for people to assume we are wise!!! Just listen to this kind of advice. He has no clue of the economic principle of location and localisation. Yet we have handed over our pearls to his likes to manage judiciously for us!!!