Cleanliness can be equated to development

Asamankese (E/R), July 30, GNA - The Presiding Member of the West Akyem District Assembly, Mr Sintim Aboagye has called on the Assembly to educate the people to adopt sustained environmental practices to save both life and property.

Addressing the Second General Meeting of the District Assembly at Asamankese, Mr Aboagye expressed concern about the rampant littering of garbage, particularly plastic wastes and said the issue should be critically addressed before the situation gravely affected sanitation management.

Mr Aboagye also asked the Assembly to address the question of tree planting, street lighting, painting of buildings and replacement of kiosks with well-planned stores along the main streets.

He noted that no assembly could serve the interest of the people with a weak revenue base and, therefore, called for the adoption of effective ways and means of raising internally generated revenue. The District Chief Executive, Mr Umar Amoah announced that revenue collected by the assembly for the second quarter of the 2003 fiscal year stood at 504 million cedis while the projected revenue was 617 million cedis, representing a shortfall of 113 million cedis.

On feeder road projects, he said the contractor who was awarded the rehabilitation work on the Oworam-Kwametia-Brekumanso road, Messrs Kensitar Limited failed to report at the site after collecting the mobilisation fee and said the Assembly's Tender Board had, therefore, recommended the abrogation of the contract for re-awarding to the next bidder.

The District Chief Executive announced that contracts have been awarded under the Ghana Education Trust Fund in the district for the construction of blocks of six classrooms at Pabi, Dwafoakwa, Asuotwene and Adu Kofi.

Under the HIPC Relief Fund, blocks of three classrooms have been awarded for construction at Kuntu, Atimatim and Osenase. Toilets are to be constructed at Asamankese and Adeiso and a health post at Brekumanso, he said.

On the management of HIV/AIDS, Mr Amoah said the Assembly had selected 11 Community's Based Organisations (CBOs) to benefit from 125 million cedis grant from the Ghana AIDS Commission while the assembly was to benefit from a further 100 million cedis to organise AIDS programmes.