The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Simon Kweku Tetteh, in his address, congratulated the assembly members who retained their seats for their respective electoral areas as well as the new entrants.

He remarked that the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies were government authorities charged with the responsibility of the overall development of their respective areas and therefore the general assemblies have a critical role to play for the development of the areas.

He said for the sake of the new assembly members, and as a refresher course for old members, the assembly was putting together an orientation programme for all members of the seventh assembly to ensure that the members were abreast of their functions and how to conduct themselves as assembly members.

Finance

The MCE said as of April 30, 2018, the assembly collected GH¢246,520.47 out of the total budget of GH¢1,033,200 estimated, representing 23.4 per cent.

He said the assembly also received an amount of GH¢312,735.06 representing the fourth quarter, an allocation of the assembly’s share of the District Assemblies Common Fund and GH¢37,576.90 as its share of the Disability Fund covering the last quarter of 2018.

Mr Tetteh said the municipality was challenged with a lot of activities that called for enough funds to execute such projects and called on the assembly members to help in revenue mobilisation.

He also welcomed ideas, strategies and proposals for the improvement of the Internally Generated Funds.

Maternal deaths

Mr Tetteh noted that the health directorate was saddled with a number of issues including high maternal mortality rate, inadequate means of transport (motorbikes), ambulance among others, and non-completion of office accommodation.

He mentioned that the municipality recorded five maternal deaths in 2018 and had already recorded another five in the first quarter of this year.

The MCE urged the assembly members to assist the health workers to provide the needed support by educating pregnant women in their various electoral areas to undergo antenatal care, the sustainable means of preventing maternal deaths.

He also asked the assembly members to advise the pregnant women to seek early treatment from the appropriate health facilities whenever they noticed any changes in their health condition.
He said the National Health Insurance continued to enrol more clients onto the scheme in the municipality.

Out of 114,708 projected for the year, the MCE said 28,677 were enrolled for the first quarter of 2019 and even hoped to exceed the target.

The MCE mentioned a lot of activities that took place in education, agriculture, disbursement of disability funds among others and entreated the assembly members to help do more to project and develop the municipality.

Security disturbances

Mr Tetteh, briefing the assembly on the security of the area, said the municipality remained generally peaceful and calm except the recent incident between the PDS and some communities which led to the death of one person.

He, however, commended the security forces for managing the situation and ensuring peace returned to the affected areas.