Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning said in 2012, government will strengthen the fiscal decentralization process by transferring resource allocation functions to the local authorities as a way of deepening democratic governance at the grassroots.

Government will also undertake other major activities including the review and implementation of the intergovernmental fiscal framework drafted in 2008 and the introduction of social accountability systems into the Public Financial Management System at the local level.

He said Government will also undertake direct releases to MMDA’s treasuries to minimize delays in transfer of funds to MMDAs; review all funds transfer systems to ensure that indicative budget allocations from central level were timely communicated.

The Finance Minister said the actual transfer of grant allocations were in accordance with more predictable transfer schedules developing a formula for sharing ceilings between MDAs and the decentralized departments of the MMDAs.

He said US$3.0 billion loan facility from China Development Bank (CDB) would be utilized to reduce the infrastructural deficit of the country.

On the specific projects, the Finance Minister identified the Accra Plains Irrigation Project; Coastal Fishing Harbours and Landing Sites Project; Tema-Akosombo-Buipe Multi-modal Transportation Project; and Western Corridor Gas Infrastructure Project to be undertaken.

Others are a Helicopter Surveillance Fleet for Western Corridor “Oil Enclave”; development of ICT Enhanced Surveillance Platform for Western Corridor “Oil Enclave”; Western Corridor “Oil Enclave” Road Re-development Project; and Western Railway Line Modernization.

The rest are Takoradi Port Rehabilitation and the Sekondi Industrial Estate. Infrastructure Provision- government to do more to expand infrastructure Infrastructure Provision- government to do more to expand infrastructure