Assembly provides 800 million cedis for poverty alleviation

Kuntanase (Ash), Aug 7, GNA - The Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma District Assembly has made available about 800 million cedis to be disbursed to people in the district as part of the government's poverty alleviation programme.

He said the distribution of the money would be devoid of ethnic or political affiliation and that every person in the district who was eligible would benefit.

Announcing this at an emergency meeting of the Assembly on Tuesday at Kuntanase, Mr Bright Addai-Mununkum, the District Chief Executive, debunked rumours being peddled round that the poverty alleviation loans were gifts or give-aways to some political activists.

He said it was a way of supporting small-scale businesses and co-operative groups such as farmers, food sellers, petty traders and other individuals to enable them to sustain their businesses. The DCE said the beneficiaries were expected to pay back the loans since it was a revolving fund.

Mr Addai-Mununkum announced that the assembly had as at the end of June this year, generated 658.2 million cedis out of its estimated 1.2 billion cedis revenue to be generated from its traditional sources.

He said considering the revenue generated for the first half of the year, the assembly might be able to hit or exceed its target by the end of the year.

The DCE was, however, not happy with basic rate collection, saying that out of the projected revenue of 35 million cedis, only one million cedis had been collected.

Mr J.K. Assuming, the Presiding Member, asked the assembly members to help to ensure that this year's elections were conducted in an atmosphere of peace.

He urged them to preach the message of peace in their communities.