Western Region NALAG Hold Conference.

Sekondi, July 24, -GNA - Mr. Philip K. Nkrumah, Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Chief Executive has called on the government to come out with a policy that would compel the Volta River Authority and the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), to honour their tax obligations to the various district assemblies.

He said the GWCL alone owe the assembly 130 million cedis in respect of levies unpaid over a long period.

Mr. Nkrumah said these at the opening of the Western Regional delegates conference of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) at Sekondi on Thursday.

He said though the assembly has won a court case against the GWCL, it has still refused to pay the outstanding debt.

"Apart from these institutions, some individuals and private business concerns have failed to pay their basic rates, business operating licenses and other fees, thus hampering the internally generated revenue of the assembly" he added.

Mr. Nkrumah noted that revenue collection and sanitation are two major problems facing the various district assemblies and urged them to develop appropriate strategies to find solutions to them.

Mr. Akwesi Asare Ankomah, National President of NALAG said the association supports the creation of new districts because some districts are too large and this does not encourage the decentralisation policy.

"We believe therefore, that the creation of additional districts would make decentarlisation more meaningful and bring the assemblies closer to the local people" he stressed.

Mr. Ankomah said in order to motivate women to participate in the local government structure, the national secretariat of NALAG, has instituted the " best gender sensitive district" award scheme and urged the various districts to participate in the scheme.

He however, expressed regret that data and other information from the districts have not been regular and thus frustrate the work of the national secretariat. Mr. Samuel Alberto Takyi was re-elected unopposed as the Western Regional representative of NALAG for a second two year term. He expressed his appreciation to members for electing him and urged them, to work closely together for the total development of the region. The Grassroots news, a news magazine of NALAG, was re-launched at the ceremony and districts were urged to contribute news items.