Tamale municipal assembly redoubles effort to increase revenue.
Tamale municipal assembly redoubles effort to increase revenue.
Tamale (Northern Region), 23rd March 2000.
The Tamale Municipal Assembly (TMA) has ceded some revenue items to zonal councils to ensure effective revenue collection and to meet a 500 million cedi target it has set itself to generate from local sources this year.
The assembly realised 260.8 million cedis out of an estimated 267.5 million cedis for 1999, which was an improvement over the 1998 figures f 173.3 million cedis from a target of 250.7 million cedis.
Mr. Mohammed Alhassan Adams, the Municipal Chief Executive, who announced this in a sessional address at the first ordinary meeting of the assembly on Tuesday, said a revenue tasks force will be constituted to monitor and ensure that all fees, rates and licences collected by the zonal councils are paid to the assembly.
He said the assembly will focus more attention on the provision of small line credit for income generating activities and for agriculture this year.
In furtherance of this 78 million cedis was disbursed in January to 35 groups with additional 50 million cedis being earmarked to be disbursed soon.
Mr. Adams said the assembly has taken measures to reverse the low income and high poverty levels of the people through the provision of potable water, school infrastructure and health and sanitation facilities under its development budget.
Mr. Adams noted with satisfaction the healthy and cordial relationship existing between the assembly members and the two Members of Parliament representing Tamale.
He urged the two parliamentarians to continue to show their support and commitment to the assembly's programmes.
Mr. Adams announced that all is set for work to start on the proposed 2.2 billion-cedi assembly hall complex. It will comprise an administrative block for the municipal assembly, offices for the decentralised departments and a mosque among other features.
A modern transport terminal has a also been completed awaiting official handing over while work on a new 1.16 billion cedis abattoir is proceeding ahead of schedule.
Alhaji Yakubu Bukari, the presiding member, called on members of the assembly to examine their past performances and work harder this year to improve the image of the assembly.
He hailed the co-operation between the security agencies and the people which has enhanced peace and stability not only in the municipality but in the region as a whole.
Alhaji Bukari also thanked the government for committing resources to improve the road network, rural electrification and water and sanitation as well as poverty reduction.
He suggested that a composite budget should be introduced as a further step in integrating the decentralised departments under the district assemblies.
GRi.