Tano South Assembly targets revenue boost, roads, health expansion
The Tano South Municipality has outlined measures to strengthen local revenue mobilisation, expand healthcare access and accelerate infrastructure development across the municipality.
The assembly said it had intensified its revenue collection by recruiting more commission collectors, reactivating and strengthening a revenue taskforce and sanctioning underperforming revenue officers.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Emmanuel Kwame Frimpong, announced this at the assembly meeting at Bechem in the Ahafo Region.
Embargo on salary
He explained that some revenue collectors were unable to raise even as much as they were paid in salaries in a year, a situation he described as unacceptable.
“I have ,therefore, directed the municipal coordinating director to place an embargo on the salary of any revenue collector who unjustifiably fails to meet the target set for him or her this year,” he stated.
Mr Frimpong said the revenue mobilisation taskforce, reactivated last year, generated close to GH¢100,000 within a short period during an exercise undertaken in November, an indication of the huge revenue potential within the municipality.
Roads, agriculture
Mr Frimpong added that the municipality was benefiting from the government’s “Big Push” road infrastructure initiative.
He mentioned the major upgrades on the Kumasi-Sunyani road corridor to improve connectivity between the Ashanti, Ahafo and Bono regions.
Mr Frimpong said the assembly, in collaboration with the Member of Parliament (MP), Charles Asiedu, and with support from the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), would reshape feeder roads in farming communities.
He announced that the 24-hour economy market would be constructed at the Tuesday Market at Bechem Junction.
Mr Frimpong said about 260 Farmer-Based Organisations had been registered under the Feed Ghana Programme, while 10,000 birds had been distributed to farmers under the Nkoko Nketenkete poultry initiative.
He said the Cocoa Health and Extension Division of COCOBOD had raised 592,000 cocoa seedlings for distribution to farmers in the municipality.
Youth employment
The MCE said 337 young people had secured employment under various modules of the Youth Employment Programme, while 29 apprentices were currently undergoing skills training under the National Apprenticeship Programme.
He also explained that beneficiary households under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme in the municipality had increased from 494 to 658 following a reassessment exercise.
"Additionally, 66 persons with disabilities received tools, equipment and financial support through the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) for Persons with Disabilities," he said.
Security concerns
On security, he said the municipality remained relatively peaceful despite isolated cases of petty stealing and drug abuse.
He appealed to residents to support the security agencies with credible information to help fight crime and maintain peace in the area.
Mr Frimpong said new Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds would be constructed at Derma, Kofintamkrom and Ankaase to improve access to healthcare.
He said the assembly continued to invest in education, mainly provision of infrastructure, logistics such as vehicles and fuel.
Mr Frimpong reaffirmed the assembly’s commitment to improve sanitation, expand rural electrification and execute development projects to improve the living conditions of residents in the municipality.
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