Hon. Dari Chiwitey, Member of Parliament for the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency has urged Assembly Members to show interest in projects executed by District Assemblies in their various communities and deepen monitoring them.
He said when Assembly Members in the beneficiary communities developed interest in projects and continued to track them, it would ensure accountability and rapid socio-economic development.
Hon. Andrew made the comment when he phoned into Yagbon radio monthly program dubbed “Time with the Assemby” and said bwhen projects are monitored it would ensure that the projects are delivered qualitatively and within the stipulated time frame.
The deputy ranking member of parliament’s committee of Works and Housing quoted the Local Government Service Act and told the Assemby Members that as citizens, the law empowered them to actively participate in the affairs of their communities with regard to projects being implemented by the government to ensure transparency and accountability.
He, therefore, challenged them not to sit unconcerned in their communities but to exercise their rights saying “If they are awarding contracts for projects in your communities, it is your right to demand the details of the contracts such that you can monitor to ensure that the projects are well executed.”
The MP also called on government to ensure timely disbursement of funds to metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) to enable appropriate completion and implementation of projects.
“Bringing development to the doorsteps of citizens, the untimely transfer of funds to MMDAs is a major cause of delays in the excuting projects at the local level and the need for government to ensure timely release of the District Assembly Common Funds”, he noted.
He believes that local development would be enhanced if the Ministry of Local government and Rural Development, the Ministry of Finance and the District Assemblies Common Fund secretariat ensure that funds are made available to the assemblies on time.
The Minority in Parliament have already expressed concerns that the Government has failed to release over 2 billion cedis to the District Assemblies Common Fund Secretariat to be given to the various Assemblies across the country for development.
The arrears spanning from 2019 according to the minority has crippled not only the DACF secretariat but the various Assemblies as well.
Addressing the media in Parliament, deputy ranking member for the committee on Local Government and Rural Development, Benjamin Kpodo disclosed that his side will head to court if the government fails to honour the constitutional provision of 5% of total revenue to the common fund for activities of the various Assemblies.
Source: yagbonradioonline
