Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, on Tuesday said the legislative instruments setting up the district assemblies are to be reviewed to ensure their effective functioning.
The size of the membership of the District Assemblies are also being looked into while consideration of over 70 applications for creation of new ones would be covered in conformity with the law and the economic capability of the country.
At the resumed debate on the State of the Nation Address by President J. A. Kufuor, Mr Baah-Wiredu told Parliament that a team had been constituted to work on the Local Service Bill to be submitted to Parliament during this session.
Mr Baah-Wiredu said guidelines on the Members of Parliament share of the District Assemblies' Common Fund were to be enforced. On sanitation, the Minister said a comprehensive plan was being organised to handle waste disposal at residential, commercial and industrial centres while solid and liquid waste would be cleared especially choked drains at lorry parks and markets.
Mr Baah-Wiredu said a proposal for setting June 28th as Sanitation Day ("Cleanup") with the support of non-governmental organisations, the private sector, schools, churches/mosques, the media, politicians and rotary club was being considered.
He said 86 billion cedis belonging to District Assemblies, which have not benefited from the sanitation vehicle deduction of five per cent for the years of 1998, 1999 and 2000 were to be given back to them to help them fight the sanitation situations of their areas.
Mr Baah-Wiredu called for the needed support and good governance, so that the country would experience a sustainable and an enhanced local socio-economic development. After the Minister's contribution the NDC members did not make any input.
