NDC will provide zip code - Mahama

Accra, Oct.7, GNA- The National Democratic Congress would undertake a comprehensive naming of streets and numbering of houses in all municipal and district assemblies as an aspect of deepening its decentralisation policy.

It said if it won power in 2008 it would also provide a zip code to help in easy implementation of the National Identification Programme and to, as well ensure easy house-to-house delivery of mails. Mr. John Dramani Mahama, running mate to Professor Evans Atta Mills, Flagbearer of the NDC explaining some points to the Ghana News Agency on the NDCs 2008 Manifesto, he said the processes would ensure revenue generation to the assemblies, enhance security operations and streamline the work of utility service providers such as the Fire Service and the Electricity Company of Ghana.

The exercise will also help the Electoral Commission in easy registration of electorate and eliminate multiple registrations. Mr. Mahama said the NDC government would also use Global Position System (GPS) through Aerial Mapping to promote modern trading systems. Quoting from the Manifesto, Mr. Mahama said, "The NDC Government will organise a broad national Stakeholders Conference on Decentralisation, which will not only look at the conceptual issue, but will also review the 20 years of decentralisation implementation (1988-2008) and make proposals on the way forward. He said, "Notwithstanding the proposed Conference and in order to accelerate decentralisation, the Local Government Service Act, 2003, Act 656, will be reviewed and its provisions reconciled with those of the Local Government Act, 1993, Act 462.

The practice of the Ministry of Local Government issuing Guidelines for the utilization of the District Assemblies Common Fund, which has the effect of the Common Fund being released as "tied grants" will be abolished.

He said, "the District Assemblies Common Fund Act, 1993, Act 455 will be amended while, percentages of the District Assemblies Common Fund retained by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development two per cent, the Regional Coordinating Councils 1.5 per cent and the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund 0.5 per cent will be abolished and restored to the District Assemblies. "The revenue-sharing arrangements between District Assemblies and the sub-district structures provided for in L.I. 1589 will be implemented. The Public Procurement Act will be reviewed to re-integrate the District Assemblies into the procurement and tender awarding processes. The Internal Audit Agency Act will also be reviewed to make the Internal Audit Units of the District Assemblies responsible to the District Assemblies, and DCEs will be made to undergo training at institutions such as GIMPA and the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) before assuming office.

Mr Mahama said, the DACF allocations to the District Assemblies will be published in the media so that, the people and the communities could comment on or challenge the use to which the resources were put to by the DCE, the District Assembly and their officials.