STMA to spend more on education

Sekondi, Dec. 21, GNA - The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) would increase its expenditure on education next year, Mr Kobina Pra-Annan, the Metropolitan Chief Executive, said on Monday.

Addressing the last meeting of the last session of the assembly at Sekondi, he said school buildings not in good condition would be rehabilitated and that the Metropolitan Director of Education has been as= ked to provide the assembly with the list of schools and their needs. Mr Pra-Annan said basic schools in the metropolis would be provided with computers to boost the study of ICT in public schools.

He said the assembly would soon establish a sanitation court but the=

court could also hear other cases as and when necessary to strengthen the=

arm of the assembly to deal with defaulters. Mr Pra-Annan said the inability of the Common Fund Secretariat to ma= ke transfers when due as well as the poor performances of agencies charged w= ith the collection of the assembly's Internally Generated Fund (IGF) serious= ly encumbered its budget performance.

He said efforts are underway to engage more building inspectors to augment the current staff strength, and that the assembly plans to employ=

more Metropolitan Guards to carry out traffic operations, building inspection and revenue collection in newly developed areas in the metropolis. Mr Pra-Annan said the assembly could implement projects as expected and its budgetary performance was near disaster because of the late appointme= nt and confirmation of the chief executive, the non-payment of the its share= of the Common Fund on time, huge debts owed to contractors, bankers, and the=

Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and poor IGF servicing. He urged the assembly to review the performance status of the variou= s agencies engaged in the servicing of IGF.