Ali Adolf John, the Northern Regional Minister, applauded Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson for what he called a remarkable improvement in the release of the District Assemblies Common Fund to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.
Speaking at a meeting with Regional Ministers, Metropolitan Municipal District Chief Executives and Coordinating Directors in Tamale, the minister said assemblies were now receiving significant releases under President John Dramani Mahama’s government, a development he said had brought relief and excitement to local authorities.
“The Common Fund that comes to the various assemblies, tell me in the history of Ghana when have you ever experienced such quantum of monies coming to the assembly?” he asked.
John noted that many MMDCEs are happy about the level of support reaching their assemblies, especially those who have taken time to understand the difficulties previous district chief executives faced in accessing funds for development.
He added that in the past, assemblies struggled to receive even the limited amounts promised to them, particularly over the last eight years. “The monies that used to come, and especially in the past eight years, the money that was even promised them, that peanut that was promised them, was not even coming,” he said.
John concluded that the situation had changed under President Mahama and Dr. Forson’s stewardship at the Ministry of Finance. “But under John Dramani Mahama’s government, under the ministership of Dr. Ato Forson, we have seen wonders being performed. We are very, very happy about what we are experiencing so far,” he said.
