DCE appeals for funds to facilitate development

Kpassa (V/R), May 3, GNA - Mr Paul Levin Gyato, Nkwanta North District Chief Executive (DCE) has appealed to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to release its share of funds for newly created districts to facilitate development projects within its jurisdiction.

He said a quantum of financial resource mandated for development was denied the district since its inception and subsequent commissioning in February 2008. Speaking at an Assembly Meeting at Kpassa, Mr Gyato said the denial was a bane to the development aspiration of the area and defeated the principle and policy of decentralization and equitable distribution of resources.

He alleged that only GH¢ 4,000 out of a purported GH¢ 40,000 was received from the parent district, now Nkwanta South. Mr Gyato said as a "baby district," it was grappling with the requisite infrastructure to hire and attract the essential professionals to build the district, describing the situation as a "pain in the neck." He said though the district received and utilised its share of the District Assemblies Common Fund and other financial and developmental interventions, the seed money was mandatory.

He said the district needed to build an Assembly's complex with offices for the decentralized ministries, departments and agencies and a modern police station among others. The DCE said the principle behind the creation of new districts was to deepen decentralization, democratization, grassroots participation in decision-making and equity in development as well as curb rural-urban migration of the youth. He therefore called on the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the Finance Ministry to respond positively to their plight.