A former Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Samuel Ofosu Ampofo has admonished the government to quicken processes to disburse District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) and clear all arrears therein to facilitate development at the local levels.
According to Mr. Ofosu Ampofo, delay in the release of the DACF has stalled development at the district levels across the country.
President Akufo Addo through the Minister for Local Government released the long-awaited list of MMDCEs on Sunday.
According to Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the delay in nominating Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) has already affected developments at the grassroots hence any further delay in the release of DACF will be grievous to development.
“One whole year has been wasted and the Assemblies which are a catalyst for development which are the areas where implementation of government policies and programs are done have been left with no activity taken place because in their acting capacities they were not empowered to come out with projects, programs, sign cheque and so forth, so it has affected development at the district level, and it is my prayer that there will be fewer controversies in the various MMDAs in other to get smooth approval of these MMDAs in other to have the District Assemblies take off”.
“Once you do the nominations it behooves the MMDA Assembly members to approve or disapprove so that one too is also a process. You know that all policies of government are implemented at the MMDAs level and so if you have a government that claims it was in a hurry and you have been in power for nine months you are now nominating MMDCEs it is nomination because the government doesn’t have the power of appointment, the government has the power of nomination”. Ofosu Ampofo said.
Mr. Ofosu Ampofo who is National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC, said this in an interview with the media in Suhum in the Eastern region at the sideline of an event organized by the youth wing of the NDC in Suhum Constituency.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
