Volta Council of State rep. urges stronger local governance at Regional Presiding Members’ Conference

The Volta Regional Representative to the Council of State, Gabriel Kwamigah Tanko Atokple, has called for a renewed commitment to strong and practical local leadership across the region’s district assemblies.

He made this call during his keynote address at the 2025 Volta Regional Annual Conference of Presiding Members, held at the Volta Serene Hotel in Ho.

The conference, which brought together Presiding Members and Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) from all 18 districts of the region, marked Dr Atokple’s first official engagement with the group since his election to the Council of State.

Mr Atokple underscored the pressing need for unity, collaboration, and results-oriented governance at the district level.

“Our people are looking for tangible outcomes, better roads, clean water, jobs, and improved public services,” he said.

“To achieve these, we need stronger partnerships between Presiding Members and MMDCEs, and a deliberate effort to include community members in the decision-making process.”

He further stressed that the effectiveness of local governance rests on the shoulders of leaders who can translate policies into impactful projects and services for their communities.

The theme for the conference, “Resetting Local Leadership for National Rebuilding; Advancing Decentralisation, Participation and Sustainable Development,” resonated strongly with Mr Atokple’s message.

He urged district leaders to embrace this theme as a working blueprint to reposition the region’s development agenda.

He highlighted that Ghana’s decentralisation drive can only succeed if local leaders demonstrate integrity, innovation, and accountability in their roles.

He encouraged Presiding Members to lead by example, build trust within their assemblies, and ensure that developmental priorities reflect the voices and needs of the people they serve.

He reiterated his commitment to working closely with local government structures in the Volta Region through his role on the Council of State, promising to be a bridge between national policy direction and grassroots development priorities.

The conference served as a strategic platform for peer learning, experience sharing, and setting a clear course for leadership reforms across the region’s districts.