Municipal and District Assemblies in Volta Region "broke"

Kpando, April 25, GNA-Many Municipal and District Assemblies in the Volta Region have accumulated bank overdrafts over and above their expected revenue rendering them "broke". Mr Joseph Z. Amenowode, Volta Regional Minister on Friday disclosed this at a special session of the Kpando District Assembly to endorse Mr Francis Ganyaglo, as nominee for District Chief Executive.

He said the situation was visiting untold hardship on the finances of the municipal and district assemblies in the region, in addition to misdirection and misappropriation of funds.

Mr Amenowode noted that certain Assemblies expended as much as 30,000 Ghana cedis on footballs and jerseys when records of distribution are non-existent.

He added that, a whooping 40,000 Ghana cedis was spent in the procurement of roofing sheets between November and December, 2008, lamenting that the procurement deal only existed on paper. The Regional Minister said colossal statutory funds were already being deducted at source rendering the actual funds that comes to the Assemblies for development purposes meagre with the overdrafts diminishing the value of such resources. Mr Amenowode noted that the assembly members have failed

woefully in their demand for accountability of how resources were

utilized urging members to demonstrate vigilance and dedication to

work as the President Mills-led government would not countenance

unilateral development decisions. He announced that a five-year Volta Region Development Plan

was being fashioned, which would be a blue-print around which

development would revolve in a coordinated and harmonized

manner for an accelerated socio-economic development. Mr Amenowode expressed optimism that the blue-print would

have inputs from major actors irrespective of political colour,

religion, creed or status, would place the region the first or among

the best in the country. 25 April 09