Obogu (Ashanti Region) 12 April '99

District assemblies have been asked to ensure fairness and greater transparency in the disbursement of the Poverty Alleviation Fund. This will enable it to serve as a catalyst for the growth of rural economies. Mr Alex Kwaku Korankye, Member of Parliament (MP) for Asante-Akim South, said this demands strict compliance with guidelines issued by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. He was interacting with the chiefs and people of Obogu at a forum held at his instance to brief them on the work of Parliament and the various projects and interventions initiated by government to improve the lives of Ghanaians. Mr Korankye explained that the rationale behind the fund is to help particularly farmers and people engaged in small-scale viable economic ventures to expand their production base. It would, therefore, be unfortunate to deny any group of people access to the fund on the basis of their political association, the MP said. He advised the people to honour their tax obligations to both the district assembly and the government to generate adequate revenue to support the development of the communities. Later at a separate meeting with the Muslim community at Obogu, Mr Korankye reminded them about the importance of encouraging all children of school-going age to attend school. Meanwhile, there is a controversy over the guidelines regarding the utilisation of the MP's share of the common fund in the Asante- Akim South district. While the MP wants a free hand to utilise the fund, Mr James Boadi Danquah, the District Chief Executive, insists that any disbursement in respect of projects that fall within the traditional functions of the assembly should be specifically approved by the assembly. This has led to a situation where a substantial portion of the 28 million-cedi fund remains unutilised.