According to her, local governance and decentralization serves as a beacon and bridge between the government and the people, providing a platform where the needs of the grassroots can be heard, articulated, addressed and integrated into national development strategies.

The Minister, who said this when speaking at the ongoing 22nd biennial national delegates’ conference of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana at the Sunyani Technical University said, this year’s conference is expected to provide the needed platform to create a new era where every Electoral Area can become a power house of transformation, innovation and inclusive growth.

This year's event is under the theme: Empowering Local Governance: A New Dawn for Electoral Area Development".

Speaking at the event, the Minister noted that the government remains committed to equipping local government representatives with the needed tools and resources necessary to manage their Electoral Areas effectively and efficiently.

This, she added requires, targeted interventions in capacity building, financial resources and policy formation to ensure that various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have the autonomy and support to drive local development.

She called for transparency at the assembly level in order to unlock the full potential of the citizenry.

The Minister urged the MMDAs to take actionable steps to provide options and the required resources to enable the town and zonal councils to work efficiently.

Madam Banahene also charged Assemblies to do more to increase participation of their citizens in decision making processes at the local level.

She added that this will empower them to participate in local governance through town hall meetings and community forums to reflect the true needs of the people.