Techiman (B/A) Dec. 18, GNA - The Techiman District Assembly has approved a 26,442,324 billion cedis revenue budget for this year as against last year's 28,031,062 billion cedis.

Revenue would be expected from rates, land fees and fines, licences, rent, grants, investment and miscellaneous, Mr. S. Agyeman-Badu, District Budget Analyst announced this at the fourth ordinary meeting of the second session of the Assembly.

He said it was expected that rates would accrue 207,052 million cedis, land 85,750 million cedis, fees and fines 2,027 billion cedis, rent 191,320 million cedis, licences 296,526 million cedis whilst investment and miscellaneous would bring in 14 million cedis and 101,560 million cedis respectively.

Mr Agyeman-Bedu added that out of the estimated budget, the Assembly was expected to spend 26,442,324 billion cedis as against 28,031,062 billion cedis last year, leaving no surplus.

He said personal emoluments, including central government salaries, the Assembly's salaries, allowances for Assembly staff, ex-gratia awards, social security, Assembly meetings and casual labour would consume 2,550,432 billion cedis, travelling and transport, running cost of vehicles, maintenance, repairs and renewals, night allowance, among others, would take 698 million cedis.

On general expenditure, Mr Agyeman-Badu explained that utility charges, postal telecommunication, office facility, stationery, printing, bank charges, library and publications, medical expenses, accommodation, value books and courses and seminars would take 306,500 million cedis.

Mr. Agyeman-Badu intimated that grants to traditional councils, entertainment and protocol would also consume 220 million cedis. He said 117 million cedis would be spent on maintenance, repairs and renewals, whilst miscellaneous expenditure including donations, parks and garden, NALAG, sanitation and equipment, public education, grave yard, epidemic, bursaries, 50 percent revenue to councils, clothing and uniforms, compensation, pauper burial, legal operation, disaster, tourism promotion, national anniversaries, forestation, research and data, among others, would take 579 million cedis. The budget analyst said the Assembly was expected to disburse 21,959,750 billion cedis on capital expenditure.

This include 6,183,750 billion cedis on common fund projects, 10,418 billion cedis on WATSAN, 2,20 billion cedis on PRODICAP II, 400 million cedis for the Assembly's projects, 300 million cedis for Members of Parliament's projects, while 86 million cedis would be disbursed on Village Infrastructure Projects (VIPs).

The rest were HIPC fund that would consume two billion cedis, GARFUND/District Assembly 120 million cedis, operational and maintenance 250 million cedis.

Mr. Isaac Osei-Antwi, District Chief Executive, called on Assembly Members to intensify their activities to enable the Assembly to generate enough revenue to meet its development programmes.