Local Government Service Council Urged to Strengthen Leadership and Accountability in MMDAs
The Head of the Local Government Service, Prof. Lord Mensah, has urged members of the sixth Local Government Service Council to strengthen leadership, accountability and performance across the country’s 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
He made this statement at the opening of a two-day retreat for the Council members in Accra.
Prof.Mensah said the performance of the country’s 261 MMDAs would depend on the quality of leadership, governance and institutional performance driven by the Council, adding that leadership must be forward-looking, governance accountable and institutional performance exemplary.
He noted that local governance institutions now face more complex challenges, including digital transformation, financing constraints and rising demands for transparency from citizens.
According to him, local assemblies must adapt quickly to remain effective and responsive to communities.
“Continuous capacity development is therefore not a luxury for governance bodies, but a necessity”, he stated.
He urged Council members to use the retreat to sharpen their understanding of the laws governing the Local Government Service and develop practical solutions that would improve institutional performance at the district level.
Prof. Mensah also called for stronger collaboration between the Council, management of the Local Government Service and key stakeholders to ensure that policy decisions lead to visible improvements in service delivery.
The sessions covered leadership and accountability, the Local Governance Act, digital transformation, local government financing and the Medium Term National Development Plan.
The Retreat was under the theme “Strengthening Leadership, Governance and Institutional Performance in the Local Government Service.”
The Local Government Service Council, established under the Local Government Service Act, 2016 (Act 936), is responsible for providing policy direction and oversight for the Local Government Service, which manages staff and administrative systems across all 261 MMDAs.
Priscilla Osei-Wusu Nimako, ISD
