The Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, has warned assemblies against the over-reliance on the District Assemblies’ Common Fund (DACF).
According to him, it was directly or indirectly hampering development in the region.
“What you must rather do is to intensify the collection of internally-generated funds to ensure the completion of various projects on time, render accounts on schedule and recoup the difference whenever the Common Fund is released”.
Mr Aidoo gave the advice at a meeting with the 22 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the region.
On challenges facing the region, the minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Sefwi-Wiawso Constituency, said: "There are numerous unanswered audit queries, late submissions of reports to the Regional Co-ordinating Council, National Development Planning Commission, Local Government Service and the Ministry of Finance. All these, and many more, impede progress of work in the region, and there is need for positive change".
He observed that the overall performance of the MMDAs in the region in 2015, though commendable, could not be fully evaluated because some MMDAs still had projects started as far back as 2009 uncompleted.
"Despite such unsatisfactory performance, you are still awarding projects and requesting for new projects. But let me warn everybody that any official found to be indulging in such unhealthy practices will not be spared."
He said issues such as illegal mining operations, degradation of the environment, inadequate educational and health facilities, child labour, especially on cocoa farms, smuggling of cocoa beans, as well as chieftaincy and land disputes should be of great concern to the chief executives.
The minister also urged the MMDCEs to channel a greater part of their financial resources to productive sectors in order to help address these challenges.
He charged them to work hard in sustaining the relative peace and stability being enjoyed in the region as the nation heads towards the November 2016 polls.
He also urged members of the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) to remain steadfast in carrying out the supervisory mandate of the executive.
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