Bongo Assembly Achieves Revenue Target

The Bongo District Assembly was able to mobilize a total of GH?230, 118.18 last year. This represents 99.03 percent of the Internally Generated Fund (IGF) target set target for the period.

The Bongo District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr. Peter Ayinbisa Ayamga announced this in his sessional address at the Assembly's third Ordinary Meeting held at Bongo.

He attributed this feat to effective supervision of the Assembly's Revenue Officers and the relentless efforts of a Revenue Task Force that was put in place.

Mr. Ayamga also disclosed that the Assembly disbursed the three percent Disability Fund to deserving members of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations across the district.

On education, the DCE noted that the Assembly distributed 500-number Dual Desks to basic schools across the district. To augment classroom infrastructure in the area, he said that the Assembly had almost completed the construction of a three-unit classroom block with ancillary facilities at Akulyoo, two-unit KG block with a modern play-ground at Ayopia while another two-unit KG block was almost nearing completion in the Beo Community, using alternative building materials for its construction.

Mr Ayamga further disclosed that the Bongo District presented 1,995 candidates from 56 Junior High Schools for the Basic Education Certificate Examination this year and the district's report from the Ghana Education Service (GES) showed a percentage score of 16.8 percent which was a decline from last year's performance of 19.1 percent.

Therefore, the DCE charged the GES to step up its supervisory duties and called on parents to make their children's education paramount so as to reverse the trend.

On Water and Sanitation, Mr Ayamga disclosed that the District had made significant gains in the water sub-sector, hitting 80 percent coverage which is close to the national figure of 89 percent coverage.

Under the auspices of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), he said the Bongo Assembly had partnered the IHE DELFT Institute for Water Education in a pilot of the Vea-Bongo Groundwater Deflouridation Project.

Ten households and one public school have been selected in the Anafobisi area for this pilot which should see a drastic reduction, if not complete eradication of the high volumes of fluoride in the district's underground water.

Regarding sanitation, he said the Assembly with the backing of the Bongo Paramount Chief, Naba Baba Salifu Lemyaarum, relaunched its campaign against Open Defecation in the area.

As part of the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) intervention by UNICEF in the district, the Assembly is strengthening every effort to achieve an Open Defecation Free (ODF) status by September this year. At the last count, only 29 communities were declared and certified as ODF.

Touching on other projects, Mr. Ayinbisa said some roads in the area were getting spot improvement; these included the Bongo-Balungu-Namoo feeder roads of more than 40 kilometers and rehabilitation on the 38.5-kilometre Balungu-Lungo-Vea feeder roads. Meanwhile, works on the Gorigu-Balungu Bridge and other culverts were progressing appreciably.

He also announced that, about 47 new communities in the district would be hooked onto the national grid under the Rural Electrification Project in the coming year.

ISD: Peter Atogewe Wedam

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