Birim Central Municipal Assembly maximizes revenue

Ms Ophelia Koomson, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Birim Central, said since 2009, the assembly has shown steady improvement in its revenue generation.

She said in 2009, out of the projected revenue of Ghc423,614.00, the assembly collected Ghc265,720.32.

Ms Koomson made the remarks when Ms Helen Adjoa Ntoso, Eastern Regional Minister, made a familiarization tour of the municipality.

Ms Koomson said in 2010, out of the projected revenue of Ghc497,085.00, the assembly raked Ghc404,592.68, and in 2011, it collected Ghc532,754.00 out of the projected revenue of Ghc731,360.

She said in 2012, out of the projected revenue of GHC702,874.00, the assembly collected Ghc644,353.00.

Ms Koomson disclosed that at the end of April, this year, the assembly was able to collect Ghc219,979.00, out of a projected amount of Ghc224,413.00.

She said stakeholders had supported the assembly to improve the education and health sectors in the area.

Ms Koomson said water supply was picking up gradually and that the situation would improve if new water rehabilitation projects were completed.

She said the health and education sectors improved through Social Investment Fund (SIF) Project, the Ghana Education Trust (GET-FUND) and the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF).

Ms Koomson cited the building of classroom blocks, early childhood centres, clinics and Community Health and Planning Services (CHPS) Compounds as examples.

She said that, with the assembly passing the Functional Organizational Assessment Tool assessments since 2010, markets, footbridges, toilets and clinics had been built for the people.

Ms Koomson said the assembly also qualified for the Urban Development Grant in 2011, resulting in the awards of contracts to provide clinics, modern places of convenience, school furniture, drains, resource centre for the physically disabled as well as boreholes.

She said roads in the municipality needed rehabilitation, and that the assembly repaired the Akyem Oda Lorry Park and was embarking on a decongestion exercise at the Central Business area of Akyem Oda.

The MCE said alternative market sites were being opened at Nkwantanum and Akoto Morease.

She said: “when we succeed in resettling the hawkers at the new markets, the town centre will be decongested and there will be free-flow of traffic and free movement of people”.

Ms Koomson said the assembly would complete some of its abandoned projects, such as an office block complex, the MCE’s bungalow and school block.

She said: “the completion of the office complex will help address the office accommodation problem that the assembly is facing”.