Mr Saaka Sumaila, a Consultant, said this during a sensitisation workshop on Inclusive Participatory Decentralised Planning for leaders of citizen groups. The workshop, which is part of a project dubbed: “Strengthening Inclusive and Accountable Local Governance,” was organised in Tongo in the Talensi District by the Community Development and Advocacy Centre (CODAC), an advocacy and human rights organisation, with funding from STAR-Ghana.

It is being implemented in the Bongo and the Talensi districts of the Upper East Region, aimed at addressing gender inequality and social inclusiveness. The workshop attracted stakeholders including planning and budgeting officers, PWDs , assembly members, queen mothers and the media.

 Mr Sumaila said research reveals that most MMDAs engaged many stakeholders, especially PWDs, as required by the Decentralisation Concept.  Many of the participants noted that some development projects constructed by the assemblies for the communities were not being used because the community members were not consulted.

Mr Seidu Musah Akugri, the Executive Director of CODAC, said the workshop was to build the capacity of the target groups in development planning to whip up the interest of the stakeholders, particularly community members, to actively participate in the Decentralisation Concept.

Some topics treated included Development, Participation and Inclusive Development and Importance of Participatory Planning.