Dr Nana Ato Arthur (3rd left) the Head of the Local Government Service, presenting the citation to the Asokore Mampong Municipal Co-ordinating Director, Mrs Stella Owusu Aduomi. With them are other officials of the Ministry and the assembly.

Be innovative in generating revenue - Minister urges MMDAs

Daily Graphic Politics Oct - 10 - 2020 , 09:27 2 minutes read

The Local Government Service has awarded 10 outstanding Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) for achieving most indicators under the key performance contract.

The MMDAs were rewarded for their outstanding performance in areas such as Human Resource Management, Financial Management and Reporting, Infrastructure, Environment and Sanitation.

The 10 outstanding MMDAs were presented with citations and other equipment to enhance service delivery in their respective departments.

The Local Government Service also presented mementos to all 10 metropolitan, municipal and district coordinating directors for their immense leadership at the local level.

Positions

For taking the first place for the three consecutive times, the Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly was presented with a citation, three desktop computers, three printers and two scanners.

The Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai Assembly was awarded a citation, three desktop computers, two printers and two scanners for taking the second place, while the Tema Metropolitan Assembly took home a citation, two desktop computers, two printers and two scanners.

The rest: Akatsi North, Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal, Adentan Municipal, Ejura Sekyeredumase Municipal, Bekwai Municipal and Builsa South, who also received a citation, were given one desktop and one scanner each.

Be innovative

In a speech read on her behalf at the ceremony, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Hajia Alima Mahama, challenged the MMDAs to institute innovative ways of generating income at the local level.

“Our prime objective as MMDCEs is the mobilisation of Internally Generated Funds (IGF) for both capital projects, as well as to service your recurrent expenditure. Your survival hinges greatly on this if you are to make yourselves relevant to your people,” she said.

“Let me emphasise that the days of over-reliance on the disbursement of the District Assembly Common Fund are gone.”

Award scheme

The Head of the Local Government Service, Dr Nana Ato Arthur, explained that all the assembles were assessed and ranked based on their performance in their carefully selected Key Performance Areas, adding that the award scheme was instituted not only to reward excellence but to stimulate district level performance to deepen local governance and decentralisation.

He said the 10 assembles were rewarded for demonstrating resilience and deploying the Ghanaian “Can-Do Spirit” in making great strides in their respective areas of operation.