THE newly created Prestea-Huni Valley District Assembly in the Western Region has been allocated a total of GH¢1,222,959.95 as its share of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF).
The amount is to be used to undertake a number of development projects in the educational, health, water and sanitation, local government and other social sectors.
The assembly is also this year expected to receive a total of GH¢477,369,67 under the Minerals Development Fund (MDF), which would be used to complement the DACF and other internally generated funds.
The assembly has set a target of collecting an estimated GH¢2,450,760.95 this year from its internal sources of revenue while a total of GH¢2,375,829.62 would be spent under the projected expenditure.
The Prestea-Huni Valley District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Emmanuel Kwesi Ayensu, announced this at the assembly’s first ordinary meeting at Bogoso.
He called on the assembly members to close their ranks and put aside their individual political party affiliations and work together to lay a solid foundation that would promote the sustainable development of the new district.
He said the district assembly would collaborate with all the mining companies operating within the district in providing the necessary support to enable them to also offer the required assistance that would propel the district to greater heights.
Mr Ayensu said the growing population of the district had brought in its wake a lot of liquid and solid waste whose management had become problematic.
He, therefore, asked the assembly members not to look at the waste management problem as belonging to only the big cities and urban areas.
According to the DCE, if prompt action was not taken to address waste management, the whole district would soon be engulfed with filth even in the small communities, which would endanger the health of the people.
“Indeed, 2008 is to be declared by the assembly as sanitation year in which sustained efforts would be made to improve upon sanitation in the district,” he stressed.
Mr Ayensu stated that a sanitation task force would soon be formed to support the District Environmental Health Division in galvanising the people towards keeping a clean and a serene environment.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Prestea-Huni Valley, Mr Albert Kwaku Obbin, expressed sympathy for the victims of the Huni Valley train accident, and called on the government to institute a committee to investigate the cause.
He said although there was a communication error, human factor could not be ruled out.
Mr Obbin also appealed to the government to provide a passenger train to ply between Tarkwa and Dunkwa-on-Offin because there were a lot of communities that depended on only rail transport.
He said 10 communities, including Samahuu, Huni Ano, and Akotom in the district would be hooked to the national grid this year.
Mr Obbin said as a new district, expectations of the people were high, and appealed to the assembly members to put away petty squabbles and work in concert to achieve the set goals.
Earlier in a welcoming address, Mr Francis Arhin, the Presiding Member of the assembly, appealed to the house to offer constructive criticisms and good suggestions in order to arrive at fruitful discussions.
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