Akyem Oda, June 17, GNA - Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo and Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, Members of Parliament (MPS) for Akyem Oda and Akyem Swedru respectively on Friday expressed concern about the inability of Birim South District Assembly to meet its revenue targets. Addressing a meeting of the assembly at Akyem Oda, the two MPS reminded the assembly that for it to be able to carry through its development agenda, it needed to generate sufficient financial resources.

Mr Owusu-Adjapong, who is also the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, expressed worry that at a time that the assembly was struggling to mobilize funds for its developmental activities there were elements within them who were embezzling the scarce funds available. He said he was happy that the assembly had put in place mechanisms for retrieving all monies lost and urged it to plug all revenue leakages. Mr Osafo-Maafo reminded the assembly that disbursement of the District Assemblies Common Fund was based on internally generated revenue of assemblies and urged it to improve upon its revenue mobilization drive. He said there was a move to make the district a Municipality, adding, "that would not be possible if revenue generation is low".

Mr Osafo-Maafo said the Capitation Grant had made a positive impact on the enrolment of schools in the district and urged the assembly to provide more school blocks to be able to accommodate the large number of school children. He said he was not pleased about the performance of senior secondary schools in the area and urged the assembly to take the steps to address the situation.