Mampong (Ash), Jan. 31, GNA - The Sekyere West District Assembly last year collected about 1.58 billion cedis as internally generated revenue, representing 88.8 percent of its estimated 1.78 billion cedis for the period.

Besides, the assembly received a total of 3,778,165,241 cedis as part of its share of the Districts Assemblies Common Fund allocation of 5,392,000,000 cedis for 2006.

Mr. Haruna Oppong-Boateng, the District Chief Executive, said this when he addressed the first ordinary meeting of the assembly on Monday. He said though the assembly's revenue mobilization for the period under review was far better than its performance in 2005, there was more room for improvement.

Consequently, the assembly has put in place some measures to improve revenue collection.

These include strengthening internal controls to reduce embezzlement and other leakages, training of revenue collectors, public education on the need for the people to pay their basic rates and re-evaluation of property for rent assessment.

Mr. Oppong-Boateng said some development projects were carried out during the year under review and that the assembly spent more than 500 million cedis, representing almost 15 percent of its total revenue, on education.

On the progress of the National Health Insurance Scheme in the area, he said 59,448 people have registered with the scheme, out of which 51,128 have been issued with identity cards.

Mr. Oppong-Boateng said the district has been selected among 23 others to benefit from the Millennium Challenge Account which, when it takes off, would modernized agriculture, create more employment for the people and improve basic infrastructure.