Official says district assemblies unwilling to transfer authority

Ho, Dec 30, GNA- The unwillingness of some government agencies and officials to cede authority to the local government structures might render Urban, Town and Area (UTA) Councils ineffective. , Mr Gershon Klutse, Chairman of the Ho Urban Council said this on Tuesday.

He was speaking at a public forum organised by the Ho District Assembly in collaboration with the Netherlands Development Organisation, (SNV-Adido), a Dutch NGO, on good governance.

Mr Klutse suggested that some form of remuneration should be given to core staff of the councils commensurate with their responsibilities if they are to be functional.

He said the Ho Urban Council, for example, is under resourced, poorly housed and the workers cannot give of their best because they are not remunerated.

Mr Stephen Okrah, District Budget Analyst, said government had done a lot to make the councils stand on their own and mentioned the Volta Region, where, under a Danish funded programme, staff of these structures were trained, given motor bikes and stationery.

He said the Ho Urban Council should be able to pay its staff and meet administrative expenses from the revenue sources, such as Property Rates and 50 percent poll tax, ceded to it by the District Assembly. Mr Mawutor Goh, the Ho District Chief Executive, said every decentralised system depended on hard work.