CFS directs assemblies to use 15% of common fund on infrastructure

The Common Fund Secretariat (CFS) has directed all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to use only 15 percent of the Common Fund for infrastructure development.

The Desk Officer in charge of Western and Brong Ahafo Regions, Mr. Samuel Annan, gave the directive during the swearing-in of seven District Chief Executives at Sekondi.

However, the District Chief Executive for Ellembelle, Mr. Daniel Eshun, said 15 per cent allocation was inadequate to support the development efforts of the District, particularly the newly created ones and appealed for increment.

He said he did not understand why the 2013 district composite budget had been prepared and submitted already, while they were being asked to review it.

In response, Mr. Annan said there was the need for adjustment of the budget in order to meet the resources available.

He said some assemblies use more than 50 percent of the Common Fund allocations on administrative expenditure.

Mr. Annan said that the fund must be disbursed as follows: recurrent expenditure, 20%, infrastructure development, 15%, self-help project /counterpart funding, 5%, district education, 2%, district response initiatives, 1%, while 55% must go into economic ventures in the District.

He directed all the assemblies to complete the district budget and submit them to the Regional Coordinating Council for review and approval before submitting it to the Secretariat on August 15.

Source: GNA