Use 80% Of Allocation for Gov’t Projects

The Administrator of the Common Fund, Mrs. Irene Naa Torshie Addo has directed the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to use 80% of total common fund allocation to fund central government programs.

The funds are to be used for the school feeding program, Nation builder’s corps and the planting for foods and jobs.

According to the directive, 40% of total allocation is to fund the school feeding program, 20% for nation builders’ corps and 20% for planting for food and jobs program leaving only 20% for administrative purposes in the district assemblies.

However, former, Power Minister and Member of Parliament for Pru East, Dr. Kwabena Donkor has strongly kicked against the move.

In an interview with Starr News’ Parliamentary Correspondent Ibrahim Alhassan, Dr. Donkor argued the directive will deprive the assemblies of the much-needed resources for capital investments.

According to Dr. Donkor, the directive is worrying and detrimental to the development of the district assemblies, calling on the president to reverse the directive immediately.

“I am astounded and shocked that we can even contemplate this. It defeats the whole purpose of decentralization…it means elected assembly men literally have nothing to do. There is no control over resources because we are recentralizing two directives.

“This is an unwelcome development and Ghanaians, patriots must sit up. I will call on the president, I will call on the president, I will want to assume that this has happened on the blind side of the president and therefore I want his Excellency to call the administrator of the Common Fund and the Ministry of local government to order, we cannot be incapacitating our district assemblies this way.”

Source: Starrfmonline