The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) in the Western Region could not achieve its Revenue Mobilization Target for the First-Half of this year 2020 as it mobilized over GH¢ 5.3 million as of June 2020 as against a target of GH¢ 9.9 million cedis.
Meanwhile, the Assembly received an amount of GHC633,507.70 for the fourth quarter of 2019 and that GH¢ 483,358.58 was received for the First Quarter of 2020 as its share of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF).
This was made known by Mr Abdul Munin Issah, Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) at the First Ordinary Meeting of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly held over the weekend.
He attributed the shortfall to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and for that matter the Assembly was working to improve revenue mobilization while Assembly Members have been tasked to educate the people in their electoral areas on the need to pay taxes.
Mr Issah lamented that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Assembly did not record the expected success in the implementation of projects and programmes in its annual action plan.
On education, he said there was the need to strategize and direct the Assembly’s efforts at ensuring that education was given the needed support and added that 25,335 students were currently enrolled on the free SHS programme and that 5,045 candidates were presented for the 2020 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
On health, he admonished the people in the metropolis to continue to observe the safety protocols to prevent the recurrence of new infections.
He mentioned that an amount of 1.7 million cedis was received for the grading of untarred roads, desilting of drains, pot-holes patching and resealing, line marking, replacement of guard-rails and metal grating which have passed procurement stages and work ongoing.
Mr Issah indicated that 6,022 farmers in the metropolis benefited from the supply of farm inputs under the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme and that the Metropolitan Department of Agric was on standby to offer the required technical support and assistance to the farmers.
According to him, this year alone 10,000 coconut seeds were procured to be distributed to farmers under the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) while the redevelopment of the Takoradi Market Circle was steadily ongoing.
Story: Seth Ameyaw Danquah
