Nana Ato Arthur Charges Assemblies To Make Good Use Of IGF

Effia (WR), Aug 01, GNA - Dr Nana Ato Arthur, the Director of the Local Government Service has encouraged various assemblies to make judicious use of Internally Generated Funds (IGF) to reflect the developmental needs of the people they serve.

He was of the view that going forward, the property rate, market tolls and other revenue that the assemblies generated must be used for specific projects and inscribed with 'IGF funded Project' as was with the HIPC project somewhere in 2008 to enable the citizenry to see the results of the revenue contributions to the assemblies.

Nana Ato Arthur speaking at the Confirmation ceremony of the Municipal Chief Executive of the newly created Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly, said participatory local governance meant that the citizenry took part in all decision making process and projects to reflect their aspirations and needs.

The MCE, Kojo Acquah, received an overwhelming endorsement from all the 20 Assembly members in an election supervised by the Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, Mr Steve Opoku-Mensah.

All the 20 Assembly members present voted in his favour to be confirmed as the MCE for the area.

The President in accordance with Act 243 (1) of the Local Governance Act, Act 936 nominated Mr Acquah as MCE.

The Director of the Local Government Service said once the process of confirmation was over, there was only one MCE and all must rally behind him to ensure development at the local level.

'It is about time we put partisan politics aside and worked holistically for the development of the country', he added.

Nana Ato Arthur entreated the assembly members to always handle their internal strife properly for amicable solutions rather than resorting to the media to aggravate political tension.

Mr John Davis, the Presiding Member of the Area said the assembly status as a municipality meant that development must be harnessed for the common good of all, 'We owe the citizenry a responsibility of providing services geared towards improving their socio-economic lives'.

He therefore appealed to the assembly members in the area to fully support the new MCE in bringing development to the people.

Mrs Gifty Eugenia Kusi, the Acting MCE and Deputy Minister for Western Region said another milestone in the history of Ghana's decentralisation had been achieved.

She said the creation of the 38 new districts was to strengthen the process of local governance, participation and development.

Mr Kojo Acquah after taking the oaths of allegiance, secrecy and official oath administered by the Regional Minister Dr Kwaku Afriyie pledged to work hard to alleviate poverty and diseases among the communities to raise the living standards of the people.

GNA