adminThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
A NINE-MEMBER delegation from local authorities in Ghana and Gambia is in the country on a three-day visit to strengthen areas of mutual co-operation and share experiences in local governance and service delivery. The visit is part of the Strengthening Transnational Partnerships and networks for enhancing Participatory Local Governance Project (STRAP).
The team arrived in the country yesterday.
The Ghanaian delegation is headed by Mr John Bosco, the district co-ordinating director for Nadowli-Kaleo, while Mr Alh Omar Sampo Cesay, the regional governor of the Upper River Region, is leading the Gambian delegation.
In a statement yesterday, Beitbridge Town Council chairperson Councillor Showa Moyo said the STRAP project was initiated following the realisation that the role local authorities played with regards to local economic development was becoming more pronounced.
“The search for solutions to global development problems require a new type of governance based on transactional partnerships which entail participation by local governance practitioners at international, regional, national and local level.
“This project is facilitated in Zimbabwe by Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe and funded by the European Union. The major objective is to support transactional exchange on lessons on good practices between the local government association and their members to enhance service delivery,” Clr Moyo said.
Clr Moyo said most local authorities in Africa shared common challenges on issue of service delivery and hence it was important for them to carry out peer review programmes and make recommendations where necessary.
She added that the idea of Africa’s self-re-invention was very important in the localisation of millennium development goals and targets which also fall under the New Partnerships for Africa’s Development (Nepad).
“The programme addresses local governance problems in local authorities for the improved service delivery especially to women, children in difficult circumstances and marginalised communities,” she said.
Clr Moyo added that the STRAP project was being carried out in Gambia, Ghana and Zimbabwe by 15 local authorities.
In Zimbabwe, Harare City Council, Chegutu Municipality, Gwanda Municipality, Gokwe Town Council and Beitbridge Town Council are the participants.
Mr Bosco said he was impressed with Beitbridge Town Council’s resource mobilisation methods and innovation in terms of community-driven capital projects.
“Their environmental management programmes are very impressive and we will borrow a leaf from some of their strategies,” he said.
His Gambian counterpart, Mr Ceesay said he was pleased with the relationships between local authorities and Central Government in Zimbabwe.
derick.khumalo