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‘Devise ways to generate funds for assemblies’

 

 

The Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Justice Samuel Adjei, has stressed the need for the various assemblies to devise ingenious ways of generating adequate funds to meet both their recurrent and investment expenditures.

For instance, he said,  they could invest in repackaging tourist attractions within their respective jurisdictions by constructing or rehabilitating the routes leading to such sites since experience had shown that  most tourist destinations did not have safe and motorable roads, which serves as a major disincentive to patrons.

The deputy regional minister  was speaking at the first ever annual general meeting (AGM) of the newly formed Association of District Co-ordinating Directors (ADCD) in Sunyani, the Brong Ahafo regional capital, last week.

The meeting also deliberated on the theme, ‘‘Revenue Mobilisation at the District Assemblies—Exploring the Untapped Areas.’’  

The association, which was formed in 2011,  and inaugurated at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), is aimed at injecting professionalism into the work of members and influence policies on decentralisation positively.

It also seeks to cater for the total development of members, both on the job and at home. The meeting took stock of the existence and operations of the association,  as well as strengthened the resolve of members to do better in the years ahead.

They shared experiences on how to use their various leadership roles and  power  of mobilasation at the local level to enhance the objectives of the decentralisation process.

Since 1988, Ghana has implemented comprehensive local government and decentralisation reforms as an alternative development strategy and this was designed to accelerate growth and equitable spread of development in local communities,  as well as urge those communities to participate in decision making that relates to the overall management of development in the districts.

The deputy minister noted that most communities abounded in  cultural heritage, which,  if rebranded and publicised by the assemblies in consultation with the traditional authorities, could  attract both local and foreign nationals and generate revenue for  the assemblies.

 Apart from that,  Mr Adjei observed that most assemblies, even the endowed ones, did not generate enough revenue because of the loopholes in the revenue generation system.   

Consequently, he said,  in an attempt to enhance revenue collection, the assemblies could out-source revenue mobilisation, diversify revenue sources and also invest in economic facilities such as rental properties.

He pointed out that district co-ordinating directors were expected to harmonise the plans and programmes of the various assemblies to ensure that there was an integrated and collective approach to development.

Dr Callistus Mahama, the Head of Local Government Service, said that the mobilisation of local resources should move in tandem with the judicious management of the revenue so received, alleging that some of the co-ordinating directors used internally generated funds (IGF) as petty cash, which is against the law. 

He also noted with concern that some of the directors became overwhelmed by the quantum of the common fund that came to the assemblies such that they refused to read the accompanying guidelines for its judicious application; adding that, some of them again lacked the capacity to administer.

Dr Mahama advised members of the association to make professionalism and ethics the core of their administration, improve upon their knowledge and constantly assess their personal qualities that would be attractive to people.

The President of ADCD, Mr Peter Nimo, also observed that, decentralisation had now taken a firm root in the country to the extent that the assemblies were within the reach of every Ghanaian, saying that there was now the opportunity for everyone to be part of the decision-making process in their respective areas.

Prof. Nana Boachie Danquah, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon; who chaired the function, noted that the assemblies were oblivious about the fact that effective property rate collection could provide a substantial revenue base for their developmental efforts.

 

 

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