The Center for Settlement Studies, KNUST in collaboration with Institute of Local Government Studies, has organised a decentralisation policy conference at Miklin Hotel in Kumasi. The two -day programme assembled academics, politicians, researchers, students and other stakeholders to deliberate on accelerating national development through decentralisation and good local governance.

The Chairman for the opening ceremony, Professor Edward Badu, who is also the Provost of College of Architecture and Planning, underscored the need for academicians and researchers to develop an interest in promoting decentralisation and local governance. He said, owning to this the Institute, has taken upon itself to mount four Masters Programs: Environmental Management and policy, Local Government Administration, Local Government Financial Management, and Local Economic Development, to build capacity for effective governance at the local level.

Professor Badu said the Institute will do everything possible to train more human resources in these four areas. According to him, this will help to achieve the intended accelerating growth as far as local governance is concerned. The Institute will delve into a coherent and deliberate methodology t o improve this new decentralization policy, he added.

The Key note address was delivered by the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Joseph Yieleh Chireh. He indicated how impressive and prudent it is for institutions like KNUST and the Institute of Local Government Studies to form ties and help promote decentralisation policy.

The Minister commended the institute for such high initiative and hoped that the institution will support the new decentralisation policy to materialise.