West Akim Assembly spends within budget limits

Mr. George Mensah Akpalu, West Akim Municipal Chief Executive, has commended the assembly for its Internally Generated Fund (IGF) performance.

He was assessing revenue generation from internal sources, at the second ordinary meeting of the third session of the sixth assembly this year, at Asamankese in the Eastern Region.

The session also approved the 2014 Fee Fixing Resolution (FFR) and the Annual Budget Estimates, which was part of indicators for the Functional and Organizational Assessment Tool (FOAT) among others.

Mr Akpalu said the assembly generated revenue of GHC 4,305,112 as against a budgeted amount of GHC 4,421,791, representing 97 per cent from January 1, through December 31, 2012.

For the same period, he said, the total expenditure was GHC 3,456,524 as against budgeted amount of GHC 4,465,251, representing 77.4 per cent. He said the assembly did well in its expenditure management by spending within its budget.

Mr. Akpaku stated; “the expected income estimates for 2014 is GHC 9,059,989.50, out of this IGF is GHC 557,432 and Grants total of GHC 8,502,557.50”.

He said the assembly was trying its best to provide at least one development project for each electoral area in the municipality to ensure equitable distribution of social amenities.

“Currently, the assembly is updating its revenue data to help identify possible loopholes, so as to provide a gap measure to optimize revenue generation and also control expenditure”, he said.

Mr. Akpalu told the GNA in an interview that 2013 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results released by West African Examination Council (WAEC) indicated that the municipality obtained 38 per cent.

According to him, this showed a decline from 46 per cent in 2011 to 42 per cent in 2012, adding, out of this, 16 public schools including two private schools obtained zero per cent.

He said despite all facilities and measures put in place to help promote teaching and learning, “it is discouraging to note that the performance of our schools in the BECE is dwindling”.

Members of the Assembly expressed dissatisfaction with the absence of their Member of Parliament, Madam Gifty Klenam.

Mr Moses Ofori Timpo, Presiding Member, explained that the MP sought permission that Parliament was opening on that day.