A two-day orientation workshop for Zonal Council Members in the Okaikwei North Municipality has ended with a call on participants to use the knowledge acquired to better the lives of the people in their communities. According to the Chief Executive of the Municipality, Honourable Boye Laryea, the role of Unit Committee members is pivotal hence the need for the workshop. He said the training is to equip the members, indicating that such an opportunity to acquire knowledge is rare and urged them not to take it for granted. Speaking at the opening of the orientation workshop, Honourable Laryea was optimistic that the Assembly and the Municipality at large will be the ultimate beneficiaries of the knowledge acquired. The workshop, organized by the Human Resource Department of the Assembly on November 29 and 30. 2022 seeks among others to educate and improve the knowledge and skills of members in the performance of their duties at their electoral areas. In a welcome address, Ms. Sefia Salifu Senior Human Resource Manageress of the Assembly tasked the participants to give meaning to the funds spent for the organization of the program by applying the knowledge acquired in their various areas. She stated that in three months evaluation forms will be circulated to the participants to assess the benefits of the program stressing that the outcome will be the basis for organizing next year’s event. Mr. Joseph Dasanah, a former Chef Director of Local Government took the group through the topic Ethics and Basic Standards of Local Government and Decentralisation. According to him, the local government structure is crucial to the development of communities and Municipalities. Mr. Alhassan Muniru, a Consultant from Excel Link Consult in a lecturer on Public Funds Management and Social Accountability urged the members to be people of integrity and straightforward with the people they serve. He stated that the members should lend themselves to reading in order to gather knowledge, adding that they must lobby for projects for their communities through the right process. Dr. Doliwura Zakaria also a Consultant of Excel Link Consult opening the workshop for the Day Two noted that the Zonal Council members must not amass wealth if they wish to be good leaders in their communities. He tasked the members to address issues of poverty and inequality in the community by contributing their quota to its development. Dr. Zakaria who was taking the Members through the topic Leadership and Revenue Mobilisation-the Role and Responsibilities of the unit communities tasked the members to ensure accountability in the community. In all 22 Unit Committee Members took part in the training drawn from the eleven electoral areas of the Municipality. Also, in attendance was the presiding Member of the Assembly, Assembly Members, Heads of Departments and Staff of the Assembly.
