New decentralization policy would determine needs of assemblies

Accra, Nov 24, GNA- Cabinet has approved a decentralization policy that establishes Intergovernmental Fiscal Framework that determines the needs of Assemblies, the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, has said.

Under the scheme, the Minister said, an Inter-Ministerial Co-ordination Committee on Fiscal Decentralization had been instituted to audit Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs)to determine their needs for effective fiscal decentralization. Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, who is also National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member for Wa West, was responding to Parliamentary questions on the floor of the House in Accra on Wednesday. He said fiscal decentralization involved restructuring public administration's financial management to disaggregate functions between central, regional and local levels.

The Minister said it would also disaggregate the current budgetary resources between the various levels of government and would help in the transfer of functions and resources from the central to lower levels. He said it would ensure that the assembly budget was the sum of all departments under its jurisdiction and would established training programmes for assemblies as an integral part of the decentralization process in areas as implementing district composite budget, improving local revenue generation, improving central government systems and improving the financial management systems of the MMDAs.

He called on Parliament to make friendly laws for the smooth implementation of the decentralisation process. On when the newly created Bosome-Freho District Assembly would be provided with office accommodation, he said the ministry had noted with great concern the lack of infr astructure and logistics for the 60 newly created District Assemblies.

He noted that a task team to work on the modalities for re-sourcing the newly created districts assemblies had been set up and expressed hope that by the end of the 2010, clear guidelines would be available for its implementation. 24 Nov 10