ECONOMICS

Adansi South needs self-sustaining sources of funds for effective running of the district” - DCE
The District Chief Executive of Adansi South District, Francis Kwabena Ankomah has disclosed that the Assembly as at 31st December, 2016 owes contractors, who supplied goods, services and works an amount of GH?1, 691, 432.86.

Date Created : 1/9/2018 6:42:18 AM : Story Author : Kusi-Obuadum Brobbey/Ghanadistricts.com

This was contained in his Sessional Address during the Third Ordinary General Meeting which was held on 21st December, 2017.

Most of the amount went into works; a total of 27 contracts were awarded and only 9 of the projects have been completed leaving 18 of them still on-going.

In the year 2017 the assembly budgeted for an amount of GH?6,418,924.00 however the actual receipt as at end of November, 2017 was GH?3,386,085.07 representing 52.75%.

The total expenditure within the same period was GH?3,145, 423.87 representing 49% of the revenue for the period. This situation has crippled the Assembly because any funds secured are used to defray debt as a result the Assembly has resolved not to start any major projects until a major part of the debt has been defrayed.

Hon Francis Kwabena Ankomah called on the Revenue Department and all the Assembly Members with the Traditional Leaders to team up to help increase the IGF of the District because the indebtedness of the Assembly makes it difficult for the management to implement most of the policies and programmes of the assembly thereby delaying the development agenda of the district. “We must all gird our loins for the revenue generation battle by taking active part either directly or indirectly to improve on the IGF; the district needs more self-sustaining sources of funds for the effective running of the district”, the DCE posited.

He also said that the Assembly was able to inaugurate four out of the seven Town and Area Councils in the District during the year and said the remaining effort is being made to inaugurate the remaining three.

On Agriculture, the DCE said that the Government rolled out some flagship interventions such as Planting for Food and Jobs, Fertilizer Subsidy, Sustainable Rain-Fed Lowland Rice Production Project and Artificial Pollination of Cocoa in the district. These programmes were aimed at creating jobs, improve the food security and the economy of Ghana. A total of 485 farmers took part in the planting for food and jobs programme and they cultivated 903 acres of rice and maize.

The district also got 7 new Extension Officers, 271 Farmers were supplied with 310bags of NPK and 262 bags of Urea Fertilizer at subsidized prices. There was training programme for 400 farmers under the Modernizing Agriculture in Ghana Programme by the Canadian government and three (3) Demonstration sites at Kramokrom, Feneye and Obonsu were established to train farmers under the Rain-Fed Lowland Rice Production.

To improve on education in the district, Nestle Ghana through its Healthy Kids Programme supported 1,339 pupils, 105 primary schools were giving intensive monitoring by the District Teacher Support Team and the Circuit Supervisors. All the 105 primary schools in the district benefited from a Learning Project to improve on the numeracy and vocabulary skills, 59 newly appointed head teachers were trained in proper school records keeping, 203 KG teachers and head teachers received training on early childhood care .

The government supplied 130 RLG Laptops to 130 Heads of basic schools in the district; the district also witnessed the Best Teacher Awards ceremony for the first time in the year. In all 27 teachers and workers were awarded for their dedication to their duties.

The District Health Service had 41 Community Durbars in all the CHPS Zones in the district and had routine immunization of children.

There were 954 disaster cases in the district during the year; this consisted of rain/wind storm, floods and domestic fires. 6,240 persons were affected and properties destroyed were valued at GH?3,920. 200.00.

The Member of Parliament for New Edubiase Constituency and Deputy Minister of Agriculture Hon. George Oduro donated 42 packets of roofing sheets to some of the victims.

Within the year NADMO in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture carried out public education and sensitization in some communities on disaster and diseases prevention and 12 Disaster Volunteer Groups were formed by NADMO to help in the prevention and management of disasters in the district.

The Youth Employment Agency recruited 167 persons under the various modules in the district and recruitment processes for four more modules also started in the year.

The Social Welfare department organized 8 mass meeting were organized in Amudurase, Tonkoase, Subriso, and Kojo Mankron during the year. 159 beneficiaries under the LEAP programme received their grants; a total of 207 cases were handled by Social Welfare during the period; these comprised 39 justice administration, 60 child maintainance, 19 paternity, 78 family welfare and 11 child custody cases.

The district witnessed absolute peace and tranquility within the year. There was no major chieftaincy problem in traditional area.

Concluding his address Hon, Francis Kwabena Ankomah thanked all the Heads of Departments and Agencies for their support and selflessness he has enjoyed since he assumed office as the District Chief Executive.

“I thank you all for the support and direction you have given me and I hope that you will continue it in the coming year to enable us to achieve our common goal of bringing the needed development that will enhance the living standards of our people” He concluded.