LGS PRESENTS DRAFT BUDGET ESTIMATES TO PARLIAMENTARY SELECT COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT & RURAL DEVELOPMENT FOR CONSIDERATION

Parliament House – Friday, 17th March 2017: Officials from the Local Government Service (LGS) led by the Head of Service, Dr Callistus Mahama met the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government and Rural Development to present for consideration its Draft Budget Estimate for the 2017 Financial Year. The meeting was presided over by the committee’s Vice Chairman, Hon. Adjei Boateng. Present at the meeting were the Hon. Minister for Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) – Hajia Alima Mahama; Chief Directors, Directors and Staff of the Office of the Head of Local Government Service (OHLGS) and Regional Coordinating Councils (RCC) as well as representatives of the Ministry of Finance (MoF).

Highlights of the meeting included an opening remarks by the Vice Chairman and a presentation on the LGS Draft Budget Estimate by the Director for Policy, Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Gregory Addah at the OHLGS on behalf of the Head of Service. Some of the areas discussed in the Draft Budget included policy outcomes; indicators and targets, 2016 budget performance, key challenges and the 2017-2019 Medium Term Focus. There was also an open forum during which the Head of Service responded to questions and concerns raised by Hon. Members of the Committee.

Hon. Members made some recommendations to enhance future deliberations on the Draft Budget Estimates of the Service. It was recommended that; (1) a day’s session be organised to review the budgets of the RCCs to enable members have a better appreciation of their issues and challenges; (2) the need for improvement of the format for budget presentation to include percentages to enhance analysis of information provided; and (3) the LGS to ensure that the indicators and estimates presented are consistent with that contained in the budget proposal submitted to the Committee by MoF.

The Head of Service thanked the Vice Chairman, Hon. Minister for Local Government and Rural Development and Members of the Committee for their support and cordial working relationship with the Service.

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