Lawra Assembly yet to receive its share of the DACF for 2011

Lawra, (U/W), July 23, GNA – The Lawra District Assembly in the Upper West Region has not yet received any disbursement from its share of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) this year.

Mr Samson Abu, Lawra District Chief Executive (DCE) who disclosed this at the first ordinary meeting of the Assembly at Lawra on Friday, said the amount allocated to the Assembly for the year 2011 is GH¢1,412,385.48.

“The delay in releasing the funds will certainly affect the Assembly’s performance for the year”, he stated.

The DCE indicated that the Assembly had, however, received its third quarter and fourth quarter DACF allocations for the year 2010.

“These moneys have been applied for the construction and procurement of various projects and plans contained in the 2010 budget”, he explained.

Mr Abu also bemoaned the poor performance of the Assembly in terms of revenue mobilization for the current year.

He said the Assembly targeted to bag GH¢98,320.00 by the end of 2011 but as at the end of June, only 21,985.00 representing 22.36 per cent had been realized.

Mr Abu attributed the poor performance to include the Assembly’s inability to revamp the Revenue Task Force, coupled with weak monitoring and supervision.

In addition, the inadequate number of revenue collectors and the lack of commitment among some collectors also accounted for the Assembly’s abysmal revenue performance, he said.

The DCE assured the Assembly members that the Revenue Task Force would be reactivated and supported to deliver to enable the Assembly to achieve its revenue target by the end of 2011.

He urged Assembly members, Town and Area Council members and chiefs to actively participate in the Assembly’s revenue mobilization drive in order to bring development to the district.

Mr Abu also urged them to help check the malpractices associated with revenue collection in their respective communities.

This, the DCE noted, was the only way they could generate the needed financial resources to develop the district.