Chief Executive for Ketu North, Claver Kofi Lawson said the assembly needed to put in more strategies into collecting property rates and basic rates to maintain the good performance in internally generated revenue.

Mr. Lawson who was addressing assembly members at a meeting announced that the assembly exceeded its targeted internally generated revenue by 38%. The assembly collected GHs235, 370.68 as against the targeted GHs170.549.00. This notwithstanding, the DCE said there was more room for improvement with the right mechanism.

To achieve the optimum, “the Assembly is putting in place revenue improvement plan with the view of increasing the IGF by some 20% in 2014.Consequently, vigorous education especially on local FM stations will soon start to sensitize the public on the need to honour their tax obligations to the assembly”, the DCE stated.

The expenditure pattern however for the same period amounted to GHs229, 091.77.

On District Assembly Common Fund (DACF), the DCE said the assembly received a total of GHs1, 757,793.17 for the 1st and 2nd quarter releases for 2013, adding that the 3rd and 4th quarters yet to be released.  GHs94, 447.13 was also received as MP’s common fund wand was mainly applied to support educational sponsorships, community initiated projects and health delivery projects.

Other funds received from government according to the DCE include Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), GHs273, 323.60; Muti Sectorial HIV/AIDS Programme (MSHAP), GHs4, 400.00; District Development Fund (DDF), 361, 038.00.

He called for the support for management to be able to fully implement measures that will sooner than later propel the district to a higher status.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanadistricts.com