He explained that that was necessary because donors in the local governance sector were folding up, hence the need for such funds by the country for financial sustainability of the assemblies.

Mr Jonah, who made the suggestion at a-two-day training workshop on multiparty local governance reforms in Accra for identifiable groups, individuals and the media by IDEG, noted that the funds could be linked to performance and compliance with the coordinating roles of regional coordinating councils (RCCs) for effective local governance system.

“The new local governance reforms should be devoid of business as usual tendencies, such mechanisms can guarantee financial viability of the assemblies by doubling the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) and building of capacities of the assemblies to increase their internally generated funds (IGF).

“It is also important for staff of Local Government Service to support development initiatives of elected metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives for rapid socio-economic development and the political parties can also be supported to set up policy and research units, among others to take up development roles under the reforms,” Mr Jonah advised.

Participants were taken through the current decentralised local governance system, the need to reform or transform or both, among others. -GNA