Mr Simon Kweku Tetteh, Municipal Chief Executive for Lower Manya Krobo (MCE) has declared the determination of the Assembly to plug loopholes and explore revenue sources to enable it, improve upon its revenue generation in the coming year.

The affirmation comes on the heels of the assembly’s failure to meet its 2019 revenue target of GH¢ 1,014,780 for the 2019 fiscal year.

Mr. Tetteh who gave the assurance to the people of Lower Manya Krobo at the Assembly’s Third Ordinary Meeting of the First Session of The 7th Assembly held at the Municipal Assembly hall, said Internally Generated Fund (IGF) as at 30th November, 2019 amounted to GH¢ 625,481.3 out of the projected figure, representing 62.24 percent.

The assembly chief while conceding that the assembly was unlikely to meet its revenue target for the year, was however quick to attribute the assembly’s failure to a number of factors including apathy on the part of residents.

“As it stands now, we’re most likely to miss our revenue target for 2019,” said the MCE. “This not too good performance can be attributed to a number of factors including apathy as a result of the recent PDS-residents disturbances, inadequate data and leakages.”

He however gave the firm assurance that management would management would strive harder to better its performance next year.

The MCE said the Assembly was considering various options that would enable it to increase its IGF and appealed to the Assembly members to support its drive to generate more funds to supplement other funds it received for the execution of development projects.

These options include street naming, property addressing, revaluation of properties in the municipality and organization of a comprehensive training programme for revenue collectors and key officers to prepare them for migration onto the electronic billing and collection system.

Mr. Tetteh informed the house that some major roads have been earmarked for works for rehabilitation works and they included tarring of Atua Government Hospital Road, Agormanya Market to Agbom Link Road, Nuaso Town Roads, Kpong Quarters to Tilapia Beach Road and the Kpongunor Market Junction to Bana Hill School.

Further, government has awarded contracts for the routine maintenance of roads including a 17km Akuse Junction Road to Asutuare, 30km Asutuare to Atimpoku Road, 4km Asitey Roads and 5km of Odumase Town Roads, the MCE said.

He further stated that works on selected projects have been completed.

They included construction of the Piengua Yokwenor CHPS Compound, KG Block at Foreman Memorial School and Solar-Powered Mechanized Boreholes with Storage Facility at Yonguase, Wawase and Oborpah-East.

Similarly, under the Infrastructure For Poverty Eradication Programme, IPEP, a number of projects including the construction of 3 market sheds, 2 storage facilities, toilet facilities and a mechanized borehole at Agomanya market under the 1 million dollar per constituency programme has started in addition to the construction of a market shed at the Kpong Tilapia Beach for Fish Mongers with funding from the Landing Beach Development Fund.

While the number of BECE candidates who obtained between aggregate 6-36 increased from 57.98% in 2018 to 59.16% in 2019 representing 1.18% improved performance with no school scoring 0%, Mr. Simon Tetteh nevertheless tasked the department of education and all stakeholders to strategize to improve upon the performance in 2020.

He also commended former Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Health Director, Dr. Akosua Sarpong and the combined efforts of the regional and municipal health personnel for bringing under control an outbreak of the H3N2 in Senior High Schools in the municipality.

Other matters discussed during the meeting included recommendations from the executive committee, security, 35th national farmers’ day celebrations, staff strength and postings.

The MCE urged the Assembly members to continue to use their rich expertise to support the management of the Assembly to carry out its core duties of creating conducive environment for the citizenry to live and to go about their works without any hindrances.