Lawra District Assembly likely to exceed revenue target

Lawra, May 9, GNA - Out of the estimated amount of GHC69,045.90 budgeted as internally generated funds for the Lawra District Assembly, it has so far been able to mobilise GHC47,119.15, from January to April this year.

The amount represented 68.2 per cent of the expected revenue that had been realized, Mr Samson Abu, Lawra District Chief Executive has said. He attributed the achievement to some measures put in place by the assembly and called on its members to support the revenue taskforce to mobilise more revenue for development projects. Mr Abu, who was addressing members of the assembly at its first ordinary forum at Lawra, reminded the assembly members that whether the assembly would be able to meet the development needs and aspirations of the people would depend largely on how much revenue it had been able to mobilise.

"We must therefore begin to explore other revenue generating opportunities if we are to deliver on our mandate", he advised. Mr Abu announced that the assembly had expected to receive GHC1, 283,986.80 as its share of the District Assemblies Common Fund for 2010 but said nothing had been received as at now.

The District Chief Executive however said the assembly had received GHC114, 902.70 as its fourth quarter share of the Fund for 2009. Mr Abu noted that the delay in releasing the Fund had affected the assembly's quest to provide more needed social facilities and economic infrastructure for the people.

He said the assistance from the District Assemblies Common Fund had been spent on development projects, including the rehabilitation of bungalows, school blocks and the construction of KVIPs. He announced that the assembly would invest its share of the Fund for 2010 on the construction of three unit classroom block at Babile, refurbish the assembly's office block and the renovation of bungalows at a total cost of GHC107, 000.00.

It would also spend part of the money in purchasing 500 low tension poles to support rural electrification project, construct of a Community Based Health Planning and Service (CHPS) compound at a cost GHC50, 000.00 and the purchase of a Pick-Up vehicle for the secretariat's operations at a cost of GHC40, 000.00.

In addition, 15 boreholes and a mechanised borehole would be provided at a cost of GHC142, 000.00 whiles GHC20, 000.00 would be put aside for the supply of electricity throughout the district. On the District Development Fund, Mr Abu said the assembly was expecting to receive GHC724, 006.63 from the fund but had so far been given GHC452, 025.29, leaving an outstanding balance of GHC271, 948.31. The assistance would be used among others, to provide a Health Assistance Training school at Lawra, the completion of an assembly hall for Saint Anne's Vocational School at Nandom and a fence wall for the Nandom Hospital.

Mr Abu said the assembly would construct a Midwifery Training School at Nandom, a CHPS compound at Guo, a Day Care Centre at Dikpe and furnish a CHPS compound from the GHC250, 000.00 assistance it received from the District Wide Assistance Programme. The Community Based Rural Development Project (CBRDP) had also provided GHC80, 000.00 to the Assembly and the amount would be used to complete the Lawra market and construct a Day Care Centre at Babile, as well as the completion of all ongoing CBRDP projects in the district. 9 May 10