Peshawar: US Consul General Raymond McGrath has praised the local government representatives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for bringing about positive changes in affairs at the community level.

He hosted a reception for local government minister Inayatullah Khan and nazims and naib nazims from across the province at the consulate on Thursday evening, said a statement issued here.

Mr. McGrath congratulated LG representatives the group on their achievements during their first two years in office and for introducing positive changes at the community level.

He highlighted the support of the US Agency for International Development for the local governments through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governance Project and the Citizens’ Voice Project.

“Through these projects, the USAID has provided skill development training to over 13,500 local officials and community leaders from district, town, village, and neighborhood councils across KP,” he said.

The US consul general said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governance Project had just finished workshops for local government officials in Peshawar district and was expanding the project to Kohat, Mardan, Swabi and Bannu districts.

He added that the project was developing a public facilitation centre in Kohat to offer 15 different public services at one location, and supporting the provincial government in developing a public park and recreational centre along Tanda dam.

Mr. McGrath announced three new workshops would be held on strategic planning, resource mobilisation, and public-private partnerships for nazims and naib nazims across the province.

The visitors interacted with consulate officials and with their counterparts from across the region, exchanged ideas on local government initiatives and shared the best practices for strengthening governance at the local level.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2017