Breman Asikuma (Central Region), 22 Jan. '99,

The Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa district assembly has received more than two billion cedis from the district assembly's common fund since its inception.

Disbursement included 140 million cedis on the improvement of infrastructure in the educational sector, 120 million cedis on income generating activities to alleviate poverty, 40 million cedis on water and sanitation and 10 million cedis on local government projects.

The District Chief Executive, Mr J. K. Addai, announced this when Lt.-Colonel Charles Agbenaza (rtd), Central Regional Minister, met with heads of decentralised departments and staff of the assembly, at Breman Asikuma on Thursday as part his familiarisation tour of the district.

Mr Addai said last year, the assembly exceeded its local revenue collection when it bagged 101 million cedis against the projected 88 million cedis.

Mr Addai, however, said constraints such as chieftaincy and land disputes, low literacy level and inadequate office and residential accommodation for the staff of decentralised departments, ''are hindering the developmental plans of the assembly''.

He expressed concern about the high level of environmental degradation in the district, resulting from the activities of loggers and illegal chainsaw operators and said even though, the assembly has instituted a task force to help contain the situation, it is not receiving ''adequate support'' from the Forestry Department.

Colonel Agbenaza, who held a similar meeting at Agona Swedru stressed the need for team work on the part of all workers to enable the government to achieve its goal of accelerating socio-economic development in the rural communities.