The Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) in collaboration with the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) conducted a 3-Day Certificate Course in Managerial Leadership for Women in Local Government from November 11 -13, 2025 at the Institutes Accra Campus.
The course was designed to build the capacity of women officials from the various Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in Managerial Leadership to prepare them for high-level positions in Local Government Service. Local governance issues affect women more than men, for example health and sanitation matters.
The women officials are therefore expected to be at the forefront in local governance issues. Unfortunately, they rather become a second fiddle. The course exposed participants to the concept of gender as a social construct that has led to the exclusion of women from the upper echelons in the public sector, especially the LGS. Thus, participants analysed issues from the gender perspective, thereby appreciated the precariousness of their situation and the need to navigate through any barrier to their empowerment and career aspirations and progression.
The training aimed to equip the women serving as Department or Unit Heads in the MMDAs with the requisite competencies to enable them aspire for top managerial and leadership positions.
The training content are Decentralization, Local Governance and Gender Issues, Gender Issues in the Workplace & Critical Incidents, Management & Leadership: Problem Solving & Decision Making, Ethics, Professionalism, Accountability and Behavioural change, Performance Management and Productivity Improvement, Work-Life Balance (Time, and Stress Management and Achievements) and Effective Communication: Public Speaking & Presentation Skills.
The programme was flexible, experiential, interactive and participatory and adopted various learning methods such case studies, management games, coaching, mentoring, role play and analysis of critical incidents.
Certificate of Participation was awarded to participants who were able to meet the allocated credits for the training.