Parliament calls for more allocation to DACFA

Parliament at its extended sitting on Thursday approved 2011 budgetary allocations for ten state ministries and called on the Government to release enough funds to the office of the Administrator of the District Assembly Common Fund for investments.

The House, which sat from 1030 hours to 1830 hours, approved a total of GH¢218,916.00 for the services of the District Assembly Common Fund Administrator (DACFA) with a GH¢7,920.00 for investment as against 15,840.00 in 2010.

Dr Mathew Prempeh, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member for Manhyia, who made the call, said giving the DACFA enough money for investment would make it very efficient.

He said such an amount for investment was too scanty and noted that it was even a reduction compared to 2010 allocation.

A report presented by Prof George Gyan-Baffour, NPP member for Wenchi on behalf of the Majority Leader, Mr Cletus Avoka, said the reduction in the amount implied that the office would be unable to carry out renovations on office premises as planned in 2010 and also procured vehicles for the Administrator and therefore take any meaningful service and investment activities.

Other ministries and departments that received parliamentary green light for their budget allocations for the 2011 financial year were the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, GH¢221,550,588.00; Foreign Affairs Ministry and Regional Integrations, GH¢84,635,912.00; Trade and Industry GH¢82,603,136.00 and the Ministry of Tourism GH ¢17,225,167.00.

Others were the Ministry of Energy, GH¢405,495,572.00; the Ministry of Transport, GH¢18,173,336.00; the Public Service Commission, GH¢1,371,123; Audit Service, GH¢30,582,509; Ghana National Commission on Civic Education, GH¢7,859,489.00.

Source: GNA