‘Assembly not frightened by huge debt’ - Sekyere East DCE

The Sekyere East District Assembly in the Ashanti Region is heavily indebted to the tune of GH¢1,055,092.03.

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for  Sekyere East, Madam Mary Boatemaa Marfo, disclosed this at the First Ordinary Meeting of the assembly held in Effiduase last week.

She said the assembly’s indebtedness had been as a result of outstanding balances accruing from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), the District Development Fund (DDF) and the Member of Parliament’s  (MP’s) share of the common fund and Common Fund (CF) projects totaling GH¢716, 492.03

Moreover, she said, the assembly owed government-funded projects GH¢716,492.03 in addition to having to repay GH¢388,600.00 on other financial liabilities.

Madam Marfo, however, gave an assurance that the assembly would not be frightened by the huge debt burden.

She said the assembly was devising means to recover all the money owed it in order for it to make headway in its agenda to develop the district.

She said the assembly had estimated to collect revenue of GH¢364,152.91 by the end of 2017 as funds it generated internally, and expressed satisfaction that as of the end of July GH¢279,181.61, representing 76 per cent of the expected income, had been realised.

“This signals a good omen that by the end of the year the assembly would achieve its target of a 100 per cent,” she said.

Projects

She said there were 19 projects earmarked to be funded under the DACF. She added that the projects included the construction of school buildings at Asokore, Anunya, Nkwantakwanua, Motokrodua, Naama, Kokoase and Effiduase.

According to her, the construction of access roads in Effiduase was 100 per cent completed while the realignment of electricity poles at Asokore and Effiduase had also been completed.

Additionally, she said, the establishment of lockable stores at Asokore was 80 per cent done, while a two-seater aqua privy toilet at Anunya was 90 per cent finished, adding that a three-unit teachers’ bungalow for the town had also been completed.

Furthermore, she said, the assembly had completed erection of a four-seater toilet facility at Naama, as well as the construction of a CHPS Compound at Motokodua and had also drilled a mechanised borehole at Ntunkumso, which were at 80, 95 and 60 per cent stages of completion respectively.

Motorbikes for assembly members

The DCE said the assembly had procured 15 motorbikes, having considered the difficulties assembly members faced with regard to transportation.

She said the District Medium-Term Development Plan 2018-2021 would be tackled in earnest as a means of fast-tracking the development of the district.

She said the medium-term plan being implemented currently would end in December this year and urged all stakeholders to support the plan in order to make it a success.

Disbursement of Disability Fund

Mrs Boatemaa Marfo said the assembly disbursed GH¢7,500.00 to 11  Persons with Disability (PWDs) in February this year.

She said in all, 35 PWDs from the Ghana Society of Physically Disabled (GSPD), the Ghana Blind Union (GBU) and the National Association for the Deaf (NAD) applied for the facility out of which the 11 were chosen to benefit.