The governing board of the Lands Use and Spatial Plan­ning Authority (LUPSA) and the governing council of the Insti­tute of Local Government Stud­ies (ILGS) were on Friday inaugurated in Accra by the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim.The 11-member council of LUPSA, is chaired by Mr Jonathan Kwesi Azasoo with Usama Iddrisu Samu, Cephas Adjei Mensah, Hope Boye Agbah, George Kodwo Ad­dison, Mrs Josephine Manu, Mr Paul Siameh, and Dr Kwad­wo Yeboah as members.The rest of the mem­bers are Dr Jacob Paare­chuga Anankware, Dr Audrey Smock Amoah, Mr Anthony Mal­len Ntiador, and Gad Asor­woe Akwensivie,Naa Puowele Karbo III, Law­ra Naa, Jimmy Aidoo, Dr Mar­ful Alexander Boakye, Fran­cis Laako Larkai, and Dr Tina Dz­igbordi, Wemegah.Similarly, the Governing Coun­cil of the ILGS is chaired by Dr William Kofi Ahadzie and has Dr Prof.

Nicholas Awortwi, Dr Au­drey Smock Amoah, Sheriff.

J.

Armah, Mrs Mabel Akuor­kor Amoako-Atta, Professor Lord Mensah, Dr Edinam Ka­kra Avoke, Abdul Mumu­ni Ewuntomah, Andaratu Achu­wilor Khalid, and Professor Samuel Aniegye Ntewusu.The members, led by the Sector Minister, swore the official oath and the oath of secrecy.Delivering the inaugural ad­dress, Mr Ibrahim, on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, congratulated the chairpersons and members of the two insti­tutions that operated within the local governance sector.He acknowledged the work of the two institutions, including the organisation of a series of orien­tation and training programmes for officials working in the Regional Coordinating Coun­cils (RCCs) and the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assem­blies (MMDAs).He stated that efforts were being made by the government to upgrade the ILGS into a special university that would be provid­ing professional and higher ed­ucation that were critical for an effective local governance without compromising on its core man­date of training staff and political functionaries of the RCC and MMDAs.Again, Mr Ibrahim said that his ministry in pursuant to Section 37, 38, and 39 of the LUPSA Act, 2016 (Act 925), would corporate with the governing board to en­sure the functionality of the Dis­trict Spatial Planning Committees and Technical Sub-Committee to ensure that physical development in the MMDAs were carried out in accordance with the LUPSA Act, 2016 (Act 925).He expressed gratitude to the former Chairper­son, Emeritus Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa, and his mem­bers for the work they did, and urged the new governing board and council of the two institutions to continue from where their predecessors left off.Mr Azasoo said that the management and effective use of lands required bold leadership, integrated planning, and strong institutions.He noted that the governing board of LUPSA would work effectively to fulfil their mandate.On his part, Dr Ahadzie ap­pealed to the Minister to help ILGS secure the charter that would facilitate its transformation into a university and also assist the institute with adequate resources.He pledged the commitment of the new governing council to turn the ILGS into a global centre of excellence. BY BENJAMIN ARC­TON-TETTEY