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Creation of more districts is effective decentralization
plan
Abetifi, March 5, Ghanadot/GNA– President
John Agyekum Kufuor has said the creation of more districts
in the country was to give meaning to the decentralization
process for good governance and accelerated development.
He said the introduction of the district assembly concept
two decades ago, had facilitated the growth of the local
government system in the country.
These were contained in an address read on behalf of
President Kufuor by the Minister of Aviation, Mrs Gloria
Akuffo at the inauguration of the Kwahu East district at
Abetifi in the Eastern Region.
The President said the assembly concept had also enhanced
development, poverty reduction, good governance and the
strengthening of the decentralization process in the
districts.
He said the country’s major poverty reduction and wealth
creation initiatives were being implemented through
decentralized structures such as the growth and poverty
reduction strategy.
President Kufour said government was boosting performance
standards of the assemblies by instituting the District
Development Fund this year for the Ministry of Local
Government and Rural Development to administer the
functional organization assessment tool to assess the
performances of the assemblies.
He said the transformation would require a new type of
assembly members to comprehend both local and native issues
that could give leadership and direction to the staff of the
local government service in the district.
Nana Onwona Asante, Kwahu South District Chief Executive,
said the district including Kwahu East had 680 communities
with a total population of over 160,000 people with 130
primary schools and 18 junior high schools.
He said inadequate allocation of funds made the provision of
social amenities to the communities unsatisfactory, which
compelled the assembly and chiefs in the area to send a
proposal to government for the creation of an additional
district.
Nana Asiedu Agyeman II, The Chief of Abetifi commended
government for the creation of the district as well as the
numerous projects provided in the district.
He appealed for the creation of an additional district in
the Kwahu North (Afram Plains) district.
The 24 assembly members of the new assembly were sworn into
office by Justice Kwabena Assuman-Adu, circuit court Judge
at Mpraeso and Nana Onini Afari, the Chief of Aduamoa was
elected presiding member of the assembly.
GNA
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