ABOUT CENTRAL REGION

INTRODUCTION

Ghana as a country has come a long way since the inception of our Local Government System in 1982. Indeed successive Governments since then have come up with several interventions including programmes and activities to enrich processes to ensure value for money to improve the bid of the Citizenry. Indeed our Region has so much to tell and we would appreciate if you choose to visit our historic Region.

Brief About Central Region

The Central Region was the first area of the country to have established contact with the Western World in the 15th Century.

Mission Statement of CRCC

The Central Regional Co-ordinating Council (CRCC) exists as an arm of the Executive to provide quality administrative and technical services for Ministries, Departments, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and non-governmental organization through monitoring, co-ordinating and evaluation of their performances that are geared towards the improvement of the quality of life of the citizenry.

Population

The region’s population is estimated at 2,900,000, sex ratio of 48.6 males per 51.4 females and an annual growth rate of 2.1%.  The population density is about 224.1 persons per square kilometer.  This makes the region the second densely populated after Greater Accra Region. (Source:  2021 Population and Housing Census). Cape Coast the Regional Capital has a total population of 189,925 according to 2021 Population and Housing Census.

Tourism

The Region is the tourism heartbeat of the Country and the major tourism attractions include:

  • 15 Forts and Castles dotted along the coast line
  • The Kakum National Park
  • The Historical Cultural Festivals
  • The Pristine beaches and
  • The indeed the hospitality of the people in the Region.
RCC Membership
  • The Hon. Regional Minister and His/Her deputy.
  • Two Traditional Chiefs (Reps of the Regional House of Chiefs)
  • All the twenty-two (22) Metropolitan/Municipal/District Chief Executives
  • All the twenty-two (22) Presiding Members of the Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies
  • All Heads of Government Departments in the Region who are ex-officio members and do not have a voting rights at the Council.
Regional Security Council (REGSEC)

The Regional Minister chairs a 13 member Security Council whose membership is made up of Heads of the Security Agencies in the Region and the Attorney General’s Representative in the Region.

The Council meets regularly (once every month) and where the need arises to review/evaluate the Security Situation in the Region.

Finances

Unlike the Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies, the Regional Co-ordinating Council has no authority to levy taxes but derives its funds from the Central Government, which funds are released quarterly.

Monitoring

The Regional Co-ordinating Council has a Monitoring Team which goes round the Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies four times in a year to monitor their performances in terms of execution of development projects and programmes, compliance with financial regulations of the Government and its development partners.

Properties of the current Administration

The RCC has put in place measures to improve on sanitation, education (with special reference to girl-child education) and job creation in the Region. The RCC has constituted committees to this effect. The Council has constituted a league table for the Districts with award schemes and at the end of every period MMDAs will be named and shamed or praised and rewarded according to their performances.

Values

The conduct of Local Government Staff is enshrined in the Local Governance Act 936.  The code of conduct for Local Government Staff offers an opportunity for the personnel to be guided in the conduct of their work.  Local Government Staff are expected to apply the concept of local service delivery standards namely, accountability, transparency, client focus, participation, effective and efficient use of resources.

Demography

The Region has a land mass of 9,826 km².  It has the widest fishing zone (coastal stretch) in the Country about 170 kilometers and produces about 38% of the country’s fish output. Cape Coast, the Regional Capital was until 1877 the National Capital of the then Gold Coast (Ghana).

Political

The Region is headed by the Regional Minister.  The Region has twenty (22) Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies made up of one (1) Metropolitan Assembly, seven (7) Municipal Assemblies and fourteen (14) District Assemblies.

The Assemblies are headed by Chief Executives who are appointed by the President with the subsequent approval of their respective Assemblies (Local Parliament).

The Region has twenty-three (23) Political Constituencies each represented by a Member of Parliament.  The Ruling party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) controls ten (10) of the seats, whilst the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the biggest opposition party, occupies thirteen (13) seats.

Administration

The Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) has a Governing Board – the Regional Co-ordinating Council which meets at least twice in a year.

Central Region Development Commission (CEDECOM)

This Region has a development and technical wing known as the Central Region Development Commission (CEDECOM).  CEDECOM has the mandate to promote investment and enterprise development in the Region through private-public partnership.

Responsibilities
  1. Approval of by-laws of the MMDAs subject to their consistencies with national legislation.
  2. Provision of back-stopping support to the MMDAs in terms of skills and workforce
  3. Resolution of conflicts in the Region
  4. has oversight responsibility for second-cycle institutions and regional hospital on behalf the Ministries of Education and Health
  5. any other assignment to the RCC by enactment
  6. Responsible for the management and supervision of all government projects and programmes in the Region.