Regional News of Thursday, 19 June 2008

Source: GNA

Assembly loses GH¢1.24 million in impasse over capital

Apam (C/R), June 19, GNA - The Gomoa district Assembly has lost a total of GH¢ 1.24 million as a share of the district Assembly Common Fund due to the impasse over the location of the capital for the newly created Gomoa East District.

The Gomoa district, currently the largest in the Central Region, was split into Gomoa and East and Gomoa West Districts last year. The location of the Gomoa East Capital at Afranse sparked off of controversy as some people wanted Gomoa Potsin to be the capital. Speaking to newsmen at Apam, Madam Joyce Mildred Aidoo, District Chief Executive (DCE) said records she happened to come across indicated that the new District was allocated GH¢ 1.3 million as its share of the Common fund whilst the old District which had become Gomoa West got GH¢1.1 million as its share.

The DCE said due to the controversy only GH¢1.16 was relaesed to the two districts. Madam Aidoo expressed worry that, the location of a district capital could cause the people such colossal amount needed to develop the area.

According to her, members of the mother Assembly (Gomoa District Assembly) met as far back as January 2008 to share the assets between the two Assemblies and said even some staff were posted to man the new District, but because the case had been taken to court by some chiefs, the Legislative Instrument establishing the new Assembly had been withdrawn.

The DCE said similar controversies erupted when some new Assemblies were created but the people were able to resolve the issues immediately for the Assemblies to take off. She appealed to Gomoa citizens to come out to resolve the impasse, out of court, to pave way for the development of the area. 19 June 08