PUT PREMIUM ON INTERNALLY GENERATED FUNDS

16-10-09 PUT PREMINUM ON INTERNALLY GENERATED FUNDS

Assembly members have been urged to map out strategies to increase their internally generated funds (IGFs) in order to earn more support from external sources and donors. This can only be done if emphases are laid on the process of planning, budgeting, procurement and contract management, accounting as well as auditing to put their assemblies on their toes. A Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Local Government Studies ,ILGS, Eric Oduro Osae made the call during a presentation at a 2-day training Workshop for Presiding Members and newly appointed and elected Assembly Members at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region. Isaac Asare reports.

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Report
The training workshop was organized by the Institute of Local Government Studies ILGS, under the auspices of the Ministry of Local Government & Rural Development. About 200 Assembly and Presiding members drawn from the nine districts in the Upper East Region took part in the workshop aimed at sensitizing them on the need to be abreast with the district assembly system and how it works. Mr. Eric Oduro Osae, a Senior Lecturer at the Institute noted ineffective and inefficient methods of mobilizing resources, Lack of linkage between mobilized resource and service delivery, perceived mistrust between the key stakeholders and the Assemblies, inadequate public education and sensitization, inadequate consultation, collaboration and recognition of key stakeholders especially tax payers and traditional authorities, Misapplication of donor support and Political interferences at all levels as some of reasons for low resources at the Assembly level. He stressed the need for the various assemblies to help improve its locally generated funds since the money derived from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) is woefully inadequate. Mr. Osae disclosed that the Local Government Act 462 which is under review, is a fundamental law regulating the local government system to give more room and flexibility to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to generate and mobilize additional revenues in the form of internally generated funds and should be taken into consideration. He entreated assembly members to make judicious use of the district assembly common fund by ensuring human capacity building at the local level. The Head, Education Training Department of ILGS, Mr. Simon Bokor, who took assembly members through the committee system and its modus operadi advised assembly members to live up to expectation by disassociating themselves from taking up the role of traditional rulers in their various jurisdiction, but rather liaise with them to settle disputes and other matters of concern.. Mr Bokor also cautioned assembly members to put partisan politics aside and work as one people to ensure transparency and accountability, which he said is the hallmark for development.
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