Ms. Akua Aniniwa Owusu-Asamoah, the Head of Fiscal Decentration Unit of the Ministry of Finance, has encouraged budget analysts and officers in the various District Assemblies to help the Assemblies raise funds for programmes and projects.
‘Let not rely solely on the Building Operating Permit, property rates but let turn attention on modern and electronic revenue mobilization schemes like crowd funding, individual donations among others to build a better Ghana,’ she said.
The Head of the Fiscal Decentration Unit gave the advice at a two-day workshop for Budget Analysts and Officers, to remind them of the roles in budget control mechanisms and expenditure mainstreaming.
She said: ‘Ghana is now under a programme (IMF) and so we will not be able to do things as usual business, but the need for pragmatic approaches and innovative solutions to help the country get back on track economically in a more appreciable manner’.
The Budget Analysts and Officers were drawn from Western and Western North Regions to pla
n for 2024 and how ethical, professional, efficient and responsiveness could help to cut fiscal excesses in the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.
Ms Owusu-Asamoah described them as strategic Architect of the District Assembly and therefore, tasked to advise the Chief Executives on spending, proposed better strategies for procurement, identify new revenue items that could bring in more inflows and other potentials of the assemblies for growth.
She advised the officers to change their attitudes towards data collection and analysis, adding, ‘start the process early, co-create the budget with other sectors and departments within and out of the Assembly for effective deliverables.’
Mr Kirk Mensah, the Western Regional Director for the Controller and Accountant Department urged the Assemblies to prepare programme-based budget.
‘Be in tuned with policies and programmes of the day and frame your budget around that for effective implementation,’ he said.
Mr. Mensah also called on them to be abreast
with the Financial and legal framework among other public sector financial management briefs to help them stay on course in the execution of their mandate.
Mr. Daniel Ofosu-Adjei, the Western Regional Budget Analyst said the IMF programme coupled with other economic indicators behooved on such crucial staff of the assembly to ensure prudent resource allocation and usage for the betterment of all.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko- Mensah, urged the District Assemblies to closely work with businesses for the common good of the populace.
He said the growth of the private sector will result in the growth of the local economy and the country at large.
He added: ‘This is the real thing for local economy development and the District Assemblies Concept.’
Source: Ghana News Agency