Read the detailed presentation below.
I am honoured to be reporting to this House on the occasion of the maiden meeting, that is,1st Ordinary General Assembly Meeting of the 1st session of the
9th Assembly.
Let me join the Hon. Presiding Member to also welcome all men
and women of this august House. In accordance with the Local Governance Act
2016, Act 936, I am here to apprise Hon. Members the state of our Municipality,
so that we will together, review our performances, challenges and strategize for
the realization of our development goals.
Hon. Presiding member, my report before this House today is captured under the
following:
- PEACE AND SECURITY
Hon. Presiding Member, the Municipality has been largely peaceful during the
period of reporting. There are however, some pockets of resistance and I am of the firm believe that with time everything will get normalised for life to move on.
The security personnel are however, constantly monitoring the grounds and would do everything possible to avoid destruction to lives and properties.
I continue to extend our profound gratitude and appreciation to our chiefs for their
cooperation and support to maintaining peace in the Municipality.
Hon. PM, I also extend our appreciation to the security agencies for their readiness to respond to security alerts as and when they arise.
2.0 FINANCES OF THE ASSEMBLY
2.1 INTERNALLY GENERATED FUNDS
Hon. PM, the Assembly projected to mobilize an amount of Six Hundred and Eighty Three Thousand Six Hundred Ghana Cedis (GH¢683,600.00) as Internally Generated Revenue (IGF) for the 2024 fiscal year. As at 31st July, 2024, the amount generated stood at Four Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Four Hundred and Forty
Ghana Cedis and Twenty-Eight Pesewas (GH¢430,440.28) representing 62.97%.
This amount indicates almost 13% increase in revenue compared to what was mobilized as at 30th September, 2023. The amount of support received from the
Hon. Members in terms of our revenue contributed greatly to this achievement. I
am convinced that we would be able to achieve our revenue target for the 2024 fiscal year if not exceeded.
Hon. PM, we also inaugurated our Zonal Councils, and if they perform their role
well, we shall be strategically placed to perform much better in revenue mobilization which also culminates into increased service delivery.
Hon PM, the proposed Livestock Market (cattle market) in Busunu had gained a new life. The project has been submitted to the Ghana Secondary City Support
Project office and there are indications that approval would be given for execution. The project is intended to harness the business potential of the area to
help create jobs and also increase our IGF performance.
I am very optimistic that with the support and cooperation from stakeholders, we
shall overcome the challenges and generate the needed revenues to pursue our development agenda.
2.2 District Assembly Common Fund (DACF)
Hon. Presiding Member, our Municipality’s total share of District Assembly Common Fund for 2024 was estimated at GH¢4,000.000.00 and as at the date of this report, the Assembly received an amount of Three Hundred and Twenty
Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy-Nine Ghana Cedis, Thirty-One Pesewas
(GH¢320,979.31) representing 8.02%. This amount had since been disbursed on the Assembly’s projects and programmes. The level of the releases tells us that we can only achieve our desired development goals if we mobilize enough from within and hence your attention and action in our revenue mobilization drive.
2.3 District Development Fund Receipts/ RFG-DACF
Hon Presiding Member, the DPAT VI funds communicated by the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development/DDF Secretariat is
Six Hundred and Sixty-four Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢664,000.00). However,
an amount of Four Hundred and Thirty-Four Thousand, One Hundred and ThirtyFour Ghana Cedis (GH¢434,134.00) on 8th May, 2024 in respect of the DPAT
VI. The DPAT VII ceilings have also been communicated as GH¢1,319,080.00
consisting of GH¢1,278,888.00 investment grant and GH¢40,192.00 capacity
grant. If the actual allocations are released, then we can be able to implement the budgeted project if not then we may have to realign our priorities.
Hon. PM, with our experience of reduced allocations and under releases, we can
only fully implement our planned projects and programmes if we mobilize enough funds from within. I am therefore appealing to Hon. Members and Heads of Departments and Units to bring out ideas as to how we can be self sufficient as an Assembly in order to meet the development needs of our people.
2.4 Ghana Secondary City Support Project (GSCSP).
Hon Presiding Member, the West Gonja Municipal Assembly has been blessed to be part of the 35 Municipal Assemblies in Ghana to be enrolled onto the Ghana Secondary City Support Project (GSCSP). This intervention is targeted at providing capital intensive projects that would change the face of the Municipality and are being implemented in phases. We, as an Assembly joined in
phase iii (Urban Development Grant III (UDG3).
Hon. Presiding Member, under the UDG3, the Assembly received an amount of Five Million, Seven Hundred and Seventeen Thousand, Five Hundred and Seventy-Two Ghana Cedis, Sixty-Eight Pesewas (GH¢5,717,572.68) for
implementation of our Urban Development Grant 3 (UDG 3), that is, a construction of a U Drainage Structures (Damongo)- (255.06m, 169m and 468m Storm Drain) from Ngbaripe to Almanara primary school project and
other ancillary projects. This project has since been completed and serving the project community. Interestingly, I have received a letter from Hon. Member
of the West Gonja Municipal Assembly, requesting for the same project in an area that equally needs a similar intervention.
Hon. Presiding Member, the Assembly is currently implementing the UDG4 which is a Construction of 1No. 2Unit Storey Shopping Centre, 1 No 10Unit
Lockable Shops, 1No 12UnitWashrooms, Pavement, Streetlight and Landscaping in Damongo. The project amount is GH₵5,399,364.80 which is now about 36% completed.
Hon. Presiding Member, the Assembly has earmarked the construction of a
Modern Livestock Market at Busunu under the UDG5 for which discussions are far advanced with the project office. A letter of no objection has been
submitted to the project office. We are convinced that the project would
contribute to the future revenue stream of the Assembly.
- GHANA PRODUCTIVE SAFETY NET PROJECT
Hon. Presiding Member, the Assembly is again lucky to be enrolled onto the Ghana Productive Safety Net project under the Urban Poverty Mitigation model,
thanks to myself and the Hon. Member of Parliament and Minister of Lands and
Natural Resources. A stakeholder engagement for the rollout of the project was held on Tuesday 20th August 2024, in this Conference Hall which Hon. Elected
Assembly Members also attended. We are of the firm believe that this
intervention would go a long way to reducing the urban poverty within Damongo.
Hon. Presiding Member, this project, as we are all aware, is a project by the Ministry of Local Government Decentralization and Rural Development and
Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection with funding from the World Bank.
- DISTRICT ROADS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (DRIP)
Hon. Presiding Member, the Nana Addo/ Bawumia government declared 2024 as the year of roads. In fulfillment of this, the DRIP project was launched in Accra
on Wednesday 31st July, 2024 by the President, H.E. president Nana Akufo Addo.
Under this project every MMDA would be given a set of moving equipment to open up and also reshape feeder roads. The Savannah Regional Coordinating
Council has taken delivery of these equipment and would be delivered to all MMDAs across the region.
- SPATIAL PLANNING
Hon. Presiding Member, the West Gonja Municipal Assembly with support from the Ghana Secondary City Support Project is at an advanced stage in the
preparation of a Municipal Spatial Development Framework (MSDF), Municipal
Structure Plan and Revision of 2No Local Plans.
Hon. Presiding Member, the Assembly also planned to Develop a Drainage Master Plan for Damongo Township. However, in the process of budgeting, we
under estimated the work involved and as a result under budgeted for the project.
We are however, given the opportunity to phase the project and Management are
in talks with consultants to see a way out.
- UPDATES OF ONGOING PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES
Hon. Presiding Member, the details of ongoing projects and programmes have
been circulated for your reference.
7.0 EDUCATION
Hon. Presiding Member, the Assembly constructed 1No 3Unit Classroom Block
with Furnishing in Damongo for the establishment of a Technical and Vocational
School. Also, the Assembly project to construct an additional 1No 3Unit Classroom Block with Furnishing to provide adequate space for the kick start of
the school. The Damongo Nursing Training College provided electricity to use the completed facility in the interim and if they are unable to use it before the start of the school, the Assembly would refund the cost to them. Technical and
Vocational Education is the priority of government and I will ensure that the
Municipality gets its share of the Technical/Vocational Education in my tenure as the Chief Executive.
Hon PM, the Assembly supported the Municipal Education Directorate to successful organize the 2024 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE)
with 828 candidates. Funds were released as fuel to support the transportation of
exam materials from Damongo to the Busunu BECE centre. The Municipality performance rose from 38.6% in 2022 to 46.% in 2023 and I am of the firm believe that the efforts being put by the Director and his team with support from
our Hon. MP, we shall perform better in 2024.
Hon. PM, the 2024 WASSCE is ongoing with a student population of 887 in the three Senior High Schools; DASS 584, NDESCO 295 and SAGIS
Hon. PM, one thousand (1,150) dual desk furniture and ninety (90) Hexagonal tables and three hundred and sixty (360) Chairs have been recieved and distributed to forty-two (42) primary public schools, Nine (9) private School and
Ten (10) Kindergartens in the Municipality.
Hon. PM, The Director of Education official bungalow still awaits to be renovated and if all things are equal, it has been selected for implementation under DPAT VII.
Hon. Presiding Member, through the support of the Hon. MP, the following projects are ongoing and at various stages of completion:
- Construction 1No 3Unit Classroom block at Sori No. 2under MP Common Fund.
- Construction of a fence wall at NDESCO under GETFund
8.0 WATER AND SANITATION
Hon. Presiding Member, our Development Partners; Global Communities
working with the Environmental Health Unit in Fifteen Communities (15) to help make them Open Defecation Free (ODF). However, the response from the teams
on the ground is not encouraging as most of the community members are not
ready to change. Also, World Vision through the Vision Fund in partnership with
the Environmental Health Unit entered into 10 Communities and have so far provided 157 household toilets which include Mempeasem, Tailorpe, Jonokponto
and Mognori. Efforts are still ongoing with the following communities: Bonyanto, Kpiri No.2, Abukarikura, Bawku, Sumpini and Mole community.
I am therefore calling on all Hon. Members to ensure they construct toilets in their houses and call on their constituents to do same for the general good of the communities.
Hon PM, the Municipality can only boast of 34 out of 78 communities as being Open Defecation Free (ODF). The hazards of Open Defecation to health, education and productivity cannot be over emphasized. This calls for concerted
efforts from Hon. Assembly persons, Unit Committee members, Heads of Departments, Traditional Authorities, the Media and all and sundry to support the
ODF campaign to free Damongo, the Regional Capital and the entire
communities in the Municipality from Open Defecation (OD).
Hon. Presiding Member, Ghana Water Company is in the process of returning to the Municipality through the Broto Water System. Works on the project is far gone, the treatment room is complete, solar panels raised and laying of pipes to Damongo ongoing. I am of the conviction that the project if not completely solve Damongo water problem but will to a greater extent minimize it.
9.0 HEALTH
Hon. Presiding Member, the Member of Parliament for Damongo Constituency
and Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Hon. Lawyer, Samuel Abu Jinapor initiated the following projects which are ongoing under the health sector.
- Construction of CHPS Compound at Sori No.1 under NHIA
- Construction of CHPS Compound at Damongo YRA under the Ministry
of Health - Delivery room at Langantri under MPs Common Fund
Hon. PM, the Municipal Heath Directorate successfully carried-out the following
projects and programmes for the year 2024 with some amount of successes:
- Antenatal coverage was sustained from 47% in 2023 to 2024 half year, 2
% points above the target of 45% for the half year. - Intermittent preventive therapy (IPTp) of Pregnant women taking
medicines to prevent malaria dropped from 61% to 52 %, this was
primarily due to late ANC registration at all health facilities - Teenage pregnancies dropped from 13.1% in 2023 to 12.6 % in 2024.
- Zero maternal mortality recorded in the first half of 2024 as compared to
336 per 1000 live births. - Anaemia in pregnancy is still high despite some support from partners with
IFAs to pregnant women - OPD per capita still <1 for 3 years now, this means the sick do not visit the
health facilities within the municipality. This delays appropriate clinical care and decreases the chances of survival when rush to the hospital in bad
state. - Malaria prevalence is still high in the municipality even though many
interventions are being implemented. - Oral Polio vaccine at 6weeks and 14weeks vaccinations have seen some
significant improvement from last year 2023. From 67.7% to 85.1% - Measles rubella vaccine at 18months dropped from 80% to 76% in 2024 half year
10.Pregnant women who attend health facilities for the first time and receiving mosquito nets to help them sleep in and prevent malaria infection dropped
from 67% last year to 34% in 2024. This was due to short supplies.
11.The Municipal Health Directorate staff bungalows are still not renovated ie MHDS and MDCO bungalows to mention just a few.
Hon Presiding Member, the Municipal Health Directorate’s priority in terms of challenges in their pursuit to providing quality health care delivery has not
changed. The renovation of the Municipal Health Director’s accommodation and
a befitting CHPS compound for Sore No.2.
Hon. PM, Management is committed to addressing these challenges to
complement their efforts in providing quality health service delivery
10.0 AGRICULTURE
Hon. Presiding Member, the Municipality through the Department of Agriculture benefitted from Planting for Food and Jobs Phase II. This year, the department
received 1,093 bags of Urea, 2,186 bags of NPK and maize seeds for distribution to 1,093 farmers consisting of 750 males and 343 females. Each farmer received 2bags of NPK and 1 bag of Urea and 10kg of maize seeds.
Hon. PM, 750 farmers made up of 490 males and 260 females benefitted from
the Ghana Landscape project. Inputs benefitted from the projected included NPK
and Sulphate of Ammonia fertilizers, Maize and Soya beans seeds.
- LIVELIHOOD EMPOWERMENT AGAINST POVERTY (LEAP)
Hon. Presiding Member, the total number of beneficiaries under the Livelihood
Empowerment Against Poverty, being implemented in the Municipality on behalf of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, is 5,025 across 73 communities. Payment has been made up to the 90th cycle. In all, a total amount of
Four Million, Six Hundred and Thirty-Eight Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Four Ghana Cedis(GHC4,638,984.00) was disbursed to the beneficiaries this year.
Hon. Presiding Member, the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority
assisted LEAP beneficiaries and their dependence to renew their National Health
Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards. A total of four hundred and twenty 420 LEAP beneficiaries and their dependence were supported to renew their NHIS cards.
- RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Hon. Presiding Member, the Executive Committee held a meeting on 22nd
August, 2024, to discuss reports of the various sub-committees and arrived at the following recommendations for the consideration of the General House:
- Financial Commitment should be made for the Technical Sub-Committee
and Spatial Planning Committee meeting to be held regularly. - The Disaster Management Committee should be rejuvenated and made
active and supported to carry out meetings - Conduct routine maintenance on drainage network and pedestrian walkway.
- The Municipal Director for Co-operative should be invited to the 1st General Assembly to brief members about their activities within the municipality.
- Hon. Assembly members in collaboration with relevant institutions should be tasked to collate data on water facilities within their electoral areas. A template should be design to facilitate the process.
- Jafo block A Girls Model JHS and Jakpa JHS block B be connected to
electricity to enable the schools to use their ICT equipment. - Prioritize the renovation of the bungalows of the Municipal Director of Health Services and Municipal Director of education.
- To intensify public education on the effect of indiscriminate disposal of waste and promoting household latrine construction.
- Rehabilitate latrines in DASS Girls dormitory and Ndesco Girls dormitory.
10.National Road Safety Authority should collaborate with Police MTTD to sensitise tricycle owners about dangers in minor riding with the municipality.
11.The Municipal Police Command should take a critical look at reckless
driving or conveyances of logs within Damongo township without light
and unlawful parking of vehicles on the township roads.
12.The conference room of the Department of Agric the main Assembly Hall should be immediately worked on.
13.Ex-gratia of Assembly Members who served in the eighth Assembly
should be paid immediately to them before the next General Assembly.
14.Public education and sensitization regarding revenue and Assembly
operations be implemented. Residents must be educated in order for them
to understand the value of paying taxes and the contributions the Assembly makes to the local community’s development.
15.Assembly should launch programmes to grow and replace trees in order to provide sustainability to the charcoal industry, which is by far the
Assembly’s largest source of revenue.
16.Assembly keeps the current fees as stated in the fee fixing resolution, with the following exceptions that require an upward review:
RENT ITEM
2025 PROPOSED AMOUNT
1
TOWN PARK SHOP
1,800.00 PER YEAR
2
DAILY MARKET SHOP
600.00 PER YEAR
3
SENIOR STAFF BUNGALOW
40.00 PER MONTH
4
SENIOR STAFF QUARTERS (WITH
BOYS QUARTERS)
35.00 PER MONTH
5
SENIOR STAFF QUARTERS
(WITHOUT BOYS QUARTERS)
30.00 PER MONTH
6
JUNIOR STAFF
25.00 PER MONTH
ASSEMBLY CONFERENCE HALL
350.00 PER USE
17.The Fee Fixing Resolution should be gazetted to give the legal backing to
the Assembly to enforce revenue collection
18.The following activities to be considered for approval by the General
Assembly for the Municipal’s midyear budget. These activities are coming
onboard as a result new funding given to the Assembly.
S/N PROJECT / PROGRAMME
DESCRIPTION
AMOUNT
FUNDING
SOURCE
1.
Mechanized 1 no. borehole at Larabanga
Police Station
50,000.00
DACF-RFG
2
Rehabilitate 1 no. Municipal Health
Director’s Bungalow
150,000.00
DACF-RFG
3
Construct 1 no. lecture hall for Damongo
nursing training
273,000.00
DACF-RFG
4
Construct 1 no. 3 unit classroom block for
TVET
500,000.00
DACF-RFG
5
Construct 1 no. animal market
4,831,893.00
GSCSP
6
Construct 1 no. football park with field
watering facility as Ndewura Jakpa JHS
600,000.00
GSNP 2
7
Construct 1 no. 536m trapezoidal drain from
Hangaline market to fire service
1,500,000.00
GSNP 2
8
Construct 2000 no. household latrines in 3
no. communities
800,000.00
GSNP 2
9
Drill and mechanized 2 no. boreholes in 2
no. communities
350,000.00
GSNP 2
10 Construct 1 no. urinal at Damongo market
80,000.00
IGF
11
Support the operationalization of DRIP
1,000,000.00
DACF
Hon. Presiding Member, it is my fervent hope that we pay attention to key issues that affect us most and deliberate on them for the betterment of our people. We
are all here as representatives of the people and can only achieve our set target
when we are able to build consensus in our development projects and programmes.
Hon. Presiding Member, I would like to conclude my address by assuring you that, the development of the Assembly is on course. However, its desired
objective could be achieved through your support. It is therefore my humble appeal that you will make meaningful contributions in achieving the
developmental needs of our people.
I wish us all fruitful deliberation.
Thank you and God bless us all.
