New districts are not needed – Local Government expert

The Head of Environmental Studies at the Institute of Local Government Studies Mr Fred Oduro Nyarko, has described as needless the creation of new districts assemblies across the country.

Government on Thursday, March 15 inaugurated 38 new districts and municipal assemblies as part of moves to decentralize the democratic and governance system.

But Mr Fred Oduro Nyarko argues that the inability of the 216 assemblies to properly function amidst several challenges make the move unnecessary.

“What remains a major concern for some of us is to do with economic viability of the various district assemblies. Even with the existing district assemblies there is a major problem with some of them raising adequate resources to carry out their duties. It becomes a problem when you continue to split some of these already resource weak assemblies.

“One area that must of necessity be looked t critically and quickly is to do with revenue mobilization. There’s a lot of gaps in that sector so I think we need to have a serious conversation about that and resource assemblies to be able to raise adequate revenue. Otherwise, I’m worried that we’re only creating more problems than solutions with the creation of new districts,” Fred Oduro Nyarko told Starr News.