As parliament prepares to scrutinize this year’s formula for the disbursement of a budget allocation of GH¢1,130 million of the District Assemblies Common Fund, (DACF), to the assemblies, calls are being made for upward review of monies to the districts.
Appeals are being made for portions of the oil revenue to be channeled into the Fund to help increase the monies for development in the districts.
There are also arguments that the current 7.5 percent tax revenue allocated to the Fund is too small and should be increased to 10 per cent and an improvement of internally generated funds to roll out more development projects in the districts.
These calls were made at a two-day workshop on the utilization of the DACF organized by the Parliamentary Press Corps with sponsorship from the Office of the Administrator of the Fund at Sunyani.
The workshop was under the theme: “The DACF as a catalyst for national development.”
Mr Kojo Fynn, the Administrator of the Fund, said in 2007, the number of the metropolitan, municipal and districts assemblies (MMDAs) jumped to 170 and the DACF was increased to 7.5 per cent and in 2012 the number of the MMDAs was again increased to 216 with the same minimum 7.5 per cent tax revenue allocation.
He mentioned the non-adherence to the assemblies’ action plans due to the use of a substantial portion of the fund for office running costs and the inability of the assemblies to generate revenue internally as some of the challenges facing the utilization of the DACF.
Mr Eric Opoku, the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, said because of the reliability of the flow of the DACF to the districts, the assemblies have developed inertia and complacency in generating funds internally.
This, he noted, has resulted in insufficient funds to enable the assemblies administer the daily affairs of the districts leading to the misapplication of the DACF, meant for development.
Mr Kwasi Oppong Ofosu, Local Government Minister, said very soon government was going to roll out the implementation of its public-private partnership policy within the districts. He therefore, urged the assemblies to start identifying key players in the private sector in their areas and bring them on board to help in infrastructural development.
Nana Bofo Bene, the Vice President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, said chiefs have been marginalized in the utilization of the DACF and selection of projects.
He also called for the training of traditional rulers on the use and challenges of the use of the Fund so they could contribute to the development of their areas.
By Eunice Menka
The assemblies must be elected not selected by the government because if selected by the government and agenda of the people are not meet, these people cannot be held accountable. But if elected, they can be held accountable in next elections. How are they going to be monitored if such huge sums are given to these assemblies and how accountable they can be.