Adequate financial preparations made for new districts

Accra, July 30, GNA - The Government has through the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development made adequate financial preparations to ensure that all 28 newly created district assemblies have enough infrastructural development.

Mr Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, Sector Minister, said money had been voted from both the District Assemblies' Common Fund (DACF) and the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative for the construction of administrative blocks and residential accommodation for key personnel of the assemblies, as well as other essential structures that would be needed.

A statement signed by Mr Frank Asante, PRO for the Ministry, said Mr Adjei-Darko made the statement at Akim Kwabeng when he visited the capital of the new Atiwa District to inspect structures temporarily earmarked to serve as offices of the District Assembly. The Minister said the Government had increased the DACF for areas that had been divided.

For example, Atiwa had been allocated 4.775 billion cedis and East Akyem given 4.773 billion cedis.

Mr Adjei-Darko told Pomasehene Ameyaw II, during a courtesy call on him that the HIPC Initiative had helped the Government to speed up development.

He said the vision of President John Agyekum Kufuor was to develop the county, especially the rural areas, through decentralization.