Ministry not ready to pay allowances to assembly members

Accra, May 22, GNA - Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, on Tuesday told Parliament that district assemblies were required by law to raise local revenues to enable them to carry out their functions and as such the Ministry did not intend to amend the law to shoulder the responsibility of paying assembly members.

"My Ministry taking up the direct payment of allowances to district assembly members means an additional burden on central government," he explained The Minister was responding to a question on plans to take up payment of assembly members as a way of motivating them to perform better.

He said the assemblies were required to cater for the allowances of members through internally generated funds. He said the issue of motivation was not only a matter of payment of allowances since assembly members could be assisted to move within the communities and their electoral areas. "A strong case has been made to procure means of transport, preferably motorbikes for each assembly members for their work on similar conditions as Hon. Members in this House are privileged to enjoy in acquiring their working vehicles."

"My Ministry is exploring the options to support assembly members to offer their best in their work," Mr Asamoah-Boateng added. In response to another question, the Minister asked the NDC Member of Parliament for Jaman North Constituency in the Brong Ahafo Region, Mr Alex Asum-Ahensah, to petition the Ministry to move Adamsu, Asare, Taino No 1 and 2, towns located in the Jaman South District, to his constituency, if he so wished.

He said areas of authority for the Jaman South District as indicated by Legislative Instrument 1777 listed these towns as electoral areas in the Jaman South District. Mr Asum-Ahensah had asked about why the towns in question had been moved from Jaman North to Jaman South. 22 May 07