Asunafo DA fails to meet revenue target

Goaso (B/A), May 19, GNA - The Asunafo District in the Brong-Ahafo Region failed to meet its internally generated revenue targets for the first-quarter of the year 2004.

The Assembly could only collect a total of 219,998 million cedis as at 31st March, representing 68 per cent of the target of 504 million cedis.

The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr George Yaw Boakye who announced the figures at the Assembly's First Ordinary meeting at Goaso said the deficit included stool lands' revenue of over 213 million cedis, which was not collected as a result of litigation among some stools in the district.

He said the Finance and Administration sub-committee of the Assembly was tasked to come out with corrective measures, aimed at revamping revenue mobilization in the district.

Mr Boakye therefore, urged the Assembly members to earn maximum support for the new measures, adding that, the local government sub-structures needed to uplift their leadership roles for the masses to emulate.

On development projects, the DCE announced that several successes have been chalked in the areas of provision of potable water, electricity, education, health, sanitation and capacity building.

He pledged the Assembly's commitment to raising the living standards of the people through cost-effective poverty reduction programmes, involving the utilisation of readily available local resources.

Mr Boakye charged the Assembly members to encourage their communities to take advantage of the President's numerous special initiatives, tax concessions and the support given to the private sector as the engine of growth to push themselves up the living standards' ladder.

The DCE urged politicians canvassing for votes from the electorate to refrain from mudslinging, politics of acrimony and misinformation so that the electorate can take decisions based on their assessment of the various governments of their time.

He announced that the Assembly has received 300 million cedis from the government towards the smooth take-off of the Mutual Health Insurance scheme and that, 75 field workers had been trained to mobilise registration fees and annual premium of 77,000 cedis per individual towards the scheme.

The presiding member, Nana Boakye Dankwah, said the district assembly would do everything within its power to make the 2004 elections peaceful in the district.