Local governments in West Africa need improved capacity to deliver services, according to participants at a West Africa symposium run by CLGF and hosted by the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs in Abuja, Nigeria on 10 June.

In the statement from the meeting, participants identified a number of priorities that needed to be tacked to improve capacity, including strengthening fiscal decentralisation, implementing decentralisation and local democracy, more effective intergovernmental coordination, participation and local accountability and local economic development (LED).

Ministers, local government chairperson, association secretary-generals and senior officers from Commonwealth West Africa – including Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone – who attended also highlighted the importance of regional knowledge-sharing and the value of regional exchange and support.

Hon Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, who opened the meeting, said that it was an important meeting for local government in West Africa and that Nigeria fully supports the CLGF regional initiative and activities. He welcomed West Africa country representatives to the symposium and said that Nigeria shares the aims in promoting LED. 

The meeting was the first in the region since CLGF set up an office in West Africa. The priorities and activities identified will form the basis for CLGF’s work in the region as part of the DFID-funded project on strengthening local governments. Juliet Tataw was recently appointed project coordinator for the region.

The meeting was part of the 2014 Year of Developmental Local Government.