Saltpond (C/R), July 16, GNA - The Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, has urged metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to work hard to justify their demand for increases in the District Assemblies Common Fund. The Minister said increased internal revenue generation and its effective use would strengthen the assemblies' hands to put up the request for an increase from five to 10 per cent of national revenue before cabinet for approval.

He made the call at a meeting with a cross section of people in the Mfantseman District at Saltpond as part of his tour of Central Region. Mr Asamoah-Boateng expressed disappointment about how some assemblies had relaxed their effort to generate local revenue and cautioned that the District Assemblies Common Fund was not meant to replace the internally generated revenue for the administration of the assemblies.

The Minister, who is also Member of Parliament for Mfantseman West, commended the Assembly for good performance in revenue generation so far this year.

He gave the assurance that his Ministry would support those of them who were prepared to work hard to improve the standard of living of their people.

The Minister called for team work by the assemblies, saying no officer should take the work of the Assembly as his or her own property. "You should share ideas with your subordinates and delegate power," he stated and urged the assemblies to motivate and reward hard work. The Minister later visited a number of projects in the District. At Efumfi Akwakrom where he inspected the School Feeding Programme, Mr Asamoah-Boateng cautioned that the programme would be discontinued in communities where people would attempt to sabotage it. He advised the local organisers to ensure that the food they prepared for the children contained enough protein.

"It is the intention of the government to provide a balanced diet to enhance the growth of the children, he stated.