“This is a responsible government and will demand accountability and transparency in all our dealings. “By now, all of us would have known this government’s position on the use of public resources, having established an office of Special Prosecutor and also automating the Audit Service.”

The Minister said this when he addressed Municipal and District Chief Executives and their respective Coordinating Directors at a meeting in Bolgatanga to sign performance agreements between the MDAs and Municipal and District Coordinating Directors (MDCDs) for the year 2018.

He urged Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs) to initiate innovative strategies to generate revenue locally to supplement Central Government transfers and called for revamped revenue departments to get Sub-District structure support in data base development and revenue mobilization.

Mr Bukari said the availability of needed resources depended on prudent spending by officers and reminded the MDAs about government’s directive for the implementation of at least three priority projects every year, and added that “the directive is without prejudice to the Contract Agreement.”

According to him, the key performance areas of infrastructure, Social Services, Economic Development, Environment and Sanitation were important indicators which could meet the expectation of government, and said “we should be able to match that against our Regional priorities of education, agriculture and enterprise development.”

He noted that team work and cooperation were critical ingredients to realizing the targets of the contracts and indicated that the role of Chief Executives was to provide the resources and political backing while the Coordinating Directors assembled all arsenals suitable for attaining the goals.

Mr Bukari said “the inclusion of all departments will be very critical as the indicators are cross-cutting. There need to be trust between the political leader and the bureaucrats so that you all act in good faith in the interest of citizens.”

Alhaji Mahamadu Azonko, the Acting Chief Director of the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, said the document allowed for self-assessment as both parties would be able to tell whether they were on track or not, and offered opportunity to citizens, government and development partners to also monitor their performances.

“In the middle of the year, there will be an opportunity for the signatories to the document to sit with the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) and review your performance. That will afford you the chance to fine-tune some details ahead of the end of year review,” he said.

Alhaji Azonko charged the MMDAs to do the very things they knew with renewed zeal and professionalism, and assured the Regional Minister and the MDCEs that staff of the Region possessed the needed skills and competencies to support the implementation of the performance contract.

“I urge my colleagues to lend the needed support to MMDCEs so that they will in turn mobilize resources for the work. What is important in that regard is effective and efficient team work.” Alhaji Azonko said.