Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Upper West Regional Minister, has expressed concern about poor revenue mobilization by the Wa West District Assembly and said this must be reversed.

He expressed regret that only GH¢8,518.75, representing 40.58% of the quarterly targeted Internal Generated Fund (IGF) of GH¢20,990.75, was realised for the first quarter of this year as compared to GH¢11,776.13 within the same period last year.

Alhaji Sulemana, who was speaking at the first ordinary meeting of the Wa West District Assembly in Wechiau, described the performance of the Assembly as poor and unacceptable, and called on all the actors to wake up from their slumber and work hard to reverse the situation.

He reminded the Assembly that the District Development Fund (DDF), which was a major source of funding for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) unlike the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) was performance based, hence, the need to enhance internal generation of funds.

The Regional Minister therefore called for the involvement of chiefs, Assembly members, Unit Committee members and the general public in defining more innovative ways of boosting the revenue generation capacity of the district.

Alhaji Sulemana also urged the Assembly to demand total accountability from revenue collectors and demonstrate transparency on how the revenue was being utilized.

Mr. Adamu Dasaana, the Wa West District Chief Executive, pledged to put in measures to step up the revenue mobilization derive of the Assembly.

He said GH¢740,643.68 had been committed to the execution of 11 projects under the DDF programme in the district.**