Don't generate revenue and share among yourselves

Obuasi, Dec. 20, GNA - The 30-member Obuasi Urban Council was on Tuesday inaugurated with a call on the members not to generate revenue and share among themselves to the detriment of the development of the Obuasi municipality.

Mr. Joe Boampong, the Municipal Chief Executive who made the call, emphasised that he would not hesitate to dissolve the Council on behalf of the President if it becomes clear that the Council was dissipating generated revenue.

"I will dissolve the Council in the same way that I am inaugurating it on behalf of the President when it is found later that you only collect revenue from the people and squander them through the payment of allowances".

Mr Boampong reminded them that 50 per cent of revenue collected are kept at the Council and used for staff salaries and the payment of allowances whilst the remaining 50 per cent is lodged with the municipal assembly.

The MCE told the councillors to focus on the development of the municipality and nothing else. "You are to ensure that Obuasi is well developed and not to think of yourselves".

Miss Adelaide Borden, the Clerk of the Council said good governance at the local level can only be promoted when due recognition is given to the sub-structures, including the traditional authorities, religious bodies and other identifiable groups.

She observed that the Council constituted a very important structure through which various communities can have the opportunity to pursue their developmental hopes and aspirations.

Miss Borden, a former assembly woman and union secretary of the Obuasi branch of the Ghana Mineworkers Union (GMWU), admitted that revenue generation was a key component of the assembly's activities and therefore urged the councillors to be deeply involved in all revenue mobilisation activities of the Council.

She urged the councillors to remain focused on the vision and mission of the Council and work towards that so that they could be rewarded at the stocktaking period.

Mr Emmanuel K. Fordjour, a former assemblyman for Bidieso, who was elected chairman for the Council, pledged to work with the members and other stakeholders to enhance local governance and promote the image of the Council.

Nana Asirifi Asare II, the Presiding Member, who presided, said history was being made with the inauguration, since the Council was going to speed up the implementation of assembly policies and programmes.