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| Bawku MCE, Issahaku Bukari |
The Bawku
Municipal Assembly has indicated its resolve to complete ongoing school
projects that has remained stalled due to inadequate funding.
Most of these
projects which are captured under the GETfund were awarded on contract between
2011 and 2014. Some are 90 percent complete, while others are at various stages
of completion.
The Bawku MCE, Issahaku
Bukari, who made this known, said financial resources play a key role in the
execution of developmental projects, therefore the assembly was mapping out
workable strategies to enhance its revenue mobilisation and additionally
solicit support from its development partners as well as the central government
to be able to pursue such projects.
Mr
Bukari, announced this at this year’s first quarter town
hall meeting held in Bawku.
In line with its
vision to promote and sustain the wellbeing of the people through effective
resource mobilisation and management, the Bawku Municipal Assembly has made
giant strides in the utilisation of fiscal resources for development.
Last
year, the assembly through strategic self-initiatives and support from
development partners bagged a sum of 4,940 thousand, 138 Ghana Cedis as its
actual revenue used in the execution of developmental projects.
In the period
under review, the assembly employed workable interventions to increase its
internal revenue base amounting to the tune of 755, 859 thousand Ghana Cedis.
The resources accrued were applied in the execution of projects in the area of
education, health, agriculture, rural electrification as well as water and
sanitation.
Through prudent fiscal management, an appreciable number of
projects were undertaken in the municipality of which majority were captured
under the GETfund, the DACF, the DDF and the MPs Common Fund.
In the area of education, a number of 3 and
6-unit classroom blocks have been completed with others at various stages of
completion.
Moreover, the assembly is in the process of expanding the school
feeding programme to cover more schools while providing financial assistance to
brilliant but needy students through schools.
Under water and sanitation, contracts were awarded for the drilling of
25 No boreholes in various communities.
Already, a number of existing boreholes
have been earmarked for maintenance in beneficiary communities including
Kutanga, Mognori, Kuka, Gentiga and Baribari.
A number of toilet facilities
have also been completed and handed over to beneficiary communities with the
aim to reducing the high incidence of open defecation.
Access to quality health
care delivery had improved due to increase enrolment in the registration of the
NHIS and the construction of CHPs compounds in selected communities.
Addressing
the gathering at its first quarter meeting for the year 2016, the Bawku MCE,
Issahaku Bukari lauded the prevailing security situation in the area, adding
that relative peace being enjoyed in the municipality for the past years has
ensured the continuous developmental growth of the area.
While acknowledging
the effort of the security agencies for their role in the maintenance of peace,
Mr Bukari, was however, alarmed by the recent shooting incident in neighbouring
Burkina Faso and stressed on the urgent need to put in place adequate security
measures to forestall an incidence of such nature in order not to disrupt the
peace being enjoyed so far.
This year’s maiden town hall meeting brought
together various stakeholders including revered chiefs and queenmothers, as
well as organised groups and civil society organisations.
In a solidarity
message, the Secretary of the Upper East Chapter of the Social Accountability
Media Network under the Ministry of Local Government, Isaac Asare, challenged
the assembly to redouble their effort in strengthening its advocacy role in
educating the citizenry on the need to get actively involved in the decision
making processes of the assembly, especially, the drawing of its annual budget.
He advised that in as much as the ministry appreciates the effort of the
assemblies considering the limit resources they work with; it was incumbent on
their part to work towards addressing the developmental needs of the people.
This, he said, can only materialize if the citizen is made to be part of their
activities so that they can make valid inputs in their budget processes.
The occasion was used to donate some medical
equipment to the Bawku Health Directorate by the United Nations Population
Fund. Some of the items include delivery pads, infant weighing scales,
thermometers, BP apparatus, stethoscope, and an ultrasound machine.
The Bawku MCE who made the presentation asked
the directorate to make judicious use of the items and ensure their regular maintenance to prolong their lifespan.
Receiving the items, the Municipal Director of Health, Madam Rose
Azure also commended the donors for the gesture and promise to take good care
of them.
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| Madam Rose Azure receiving the items on behalf of the Municipal Health Directorate |
During an open forum, concerns were raised about the deplorable nature
of the road network within the municipality, shoddy execution of work by
contractors, extension of rural electrification and the rehabilitation of dams
among other matters.
GBC END ISAAC
ASARE
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