Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, Chief Executive Officer of Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF), a human rights and anti-corruption Non-Governmental Organisation, has blamed assembly and unit committee members for the low level of development in local communities.

He emphasized that assembly and unit committee members had failed their constituents, and advised local communities to elect more competent people to represent them at the assembly, in the impending District Assembly elections.

Mr Ahenu was speaking at separate tax fora at Amasu, Kwamesua and Tronan in the Dormaa Municipality.

The fora, organized by GLOMEF and Gift FM, a Dormaa-Ahenkro based radio station, were aimed at sensitizing the people on the need for tax payment and to hold the Municipal Assembly accountable.

Sponsored by Star-Ghana, GLOMEF and Gift FM are undertaking a 15-month project, aimed at promoting revenue mobilization and its judicious utilization in the Municipality.

Mr Ahenu reiterated that accountability begins at the local level and local communities ought to hold assembly and unit committee members highly accountable.

He stressed that until the immediate needs of the people are factored into the assemblys composite budget, such needs could be addressed.

Mr Ahenu said it is the duty of an assembly member to hold periodic meetings with the local people, help identify their immediate and peculiar needs and present them at assembly meetings for consideration.

After each assembly sitting, assembly members are mandated to meet with their constituents and explain the outcome of the assembly meeting with them, he added.

But, Mr Ahenu noted with concern that most of the assembly members had failed to perform such duties because the local people have also failed to hold them accountable.

Mr Peter Nketiah, Budget Analyst at the Municipal Assembly said though the assembly had no enough resources, it was determined to ensure equitable distribution of projects in the various communities.

He advised the people to pay their taxes and rates regularly to enable the assembly generate the required revenue for development.

Mr Nketiah appealed to traditional rulers and other opinion leaders to support revenue collectors in the assemblys revenue mobilization drive.

Nana Ansu Adjei Frimpong, Ankobeamaabanhene of Amasu, appealed to the government to re-construct the main road in the area.

He said communities along the Amasu-Kyeremasu-Tronan road had made several appeals to the Municipal Assembly, but no concrete decision has been taken on the construction of the road, which linked up many farming communities in the area.

Madam Jemima Owusu, chairperson of GLOMEF Governing Council, commended Star-Ghana for the support in helping to deepen Ghanas decentralization process.

She observed that the quantum of the District Assembly Common Fund depended on how much revenue a particular assembly could generate and entreated the people to pay their tax regularly and promptly.

Madam Owusu said traders and landlords who fail to pay their tax, commit offence which can attract jail term.

GNA