Kyebi, May 21, GNA - Mr Simon Peter Asirifi, East Akyem Municipal Ch= ief Executive (MCE), on Friday said illegal mining had reduced to the barest minimum as a result of two major exercises carried out by the National Security Council in the area. He said the fight would still continue until all illegal miners were=

flushed out completely from the municipality. He noted with appreciation that the Okyenhene was relentless in the fight against illegal mining and the assembly had resolved to collaborate=

with him to fight the canker.

Mr Asirifi, who was addressing the Second Ordinary Meeting of the Assembly at Kyebi, said the Municipal Security Committee had been meeting= to review the security situation with the view to maintaining peace in the municipality. He observed that security was very important in the development proc= ess as there was the need for safety of life and property. The MCE appealed to land owners to help protect the environment by n= ot releasing their lands for mining activities without permit. On revenue, Mr Asirifi announced that the assembly had GH¢ 101,710= ..20 from its internally generated fund as at March 31 this year, which represented 34.21 percent of the annual revenue target of GH¢ 297,268.5= 2. He urged the Finance and Accounts Sub-committee to ensure effective supervision and monitoring of the revenue collection and intensify public=

education on it to generate enough revenue for the development of the municipality. On development projects and programmes, he said the Parliament Selec= t Committee on Education visited the municipality to monitor GETFUND projec= ts. The projects include Science block, six unit classroom block and library and administration block for Kibi Presbyterian College of Education, the Ofori Panin Senior High School and the Kibi Secondary Technical School. On the issue of climate change, the MCE advised the people to guard=

against indiscriminate bush burning to avoid bush fires and reduce deforestation, which could cause the destruction of vegetation and trees. 21 May 10