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The Accra Metropolitan Assembly is partnering with Ghana Federation of the Urban Poor and Peoples Dialogue to actively engage citizens on strategies to upgrade urban slums. A seminar, dubbed: �Promoting Sustainable Urbanization through active citizenry participation, knowledge and enhanced local government partnerships,� has been held to empower communities to actively engage in the construction of fitting public communities. Mr Charles Zuttah, Advocacy Officer of the Ghana Federation of the Urban Poor (GHAFUP) said the meeting created an avenue for inclusive partnership between the urban poor and city authorities to collectively map out unified strategies for inclusive development. �This is to align urban development efforts at the national, local and community level to promote sustainable urbanization, ensure the empowerment of local government and reinforce the importance of active participation by communities and slums in development efforts,� he said. Mr Zuttah noted that citizen�s involvement in decision-making process is fundamental in strengthening the capacity of local government authorities to inclusively plan and manage urban growth as well as harnessing growing labour force in urban poor communities for national development. He said Peoples� Dialogue and GHAFUP were engaging a number of assemblies and individual community members to help in the learning and sharing of relevant information which would inform the assemblies better on how to plan effectively in improving the conditions of slums. He urged community members to always participate in such seminars and programmes that create a platform to inform assembly officials on their pressing needs for consideration in the assemblies� development plans. Mr Emmanuel Agboson, Tettey Nkpa Electoral Area Assembly man, in Ashiaman Municipality, expressed gratitude to the partnership organisations for the initiative, but called for more local people�s involvement in the project for efficient implementation of the assemblies� development plans. Participants included assembly members and local government officials from Ledzokuku Krowor Municapal, Ashaiman Municipal, Tema Metropolitan, Ga West Municipal, La Dade Kotopon Municipal, Accra Metropolitan assemblies. Peoples Dialogue is non-governmental organization established in 2003 to provide technical, professional and strategic support to poor communities and finding sustainable solutions to urban poverty in Ghana through the improvement of human settlements and shelter conditions. The organization works closely with GHAFUP, a network of community-based savings schemes in urban and peri-urban slums and shack settlements across the nation.