The Kwahu East District Assembly (KEDA) has released its 2018 to 2021 Medium –Term National Development Policy Framework report, an Agenda for jobs, creating prosperity and equal opportunity for all.
The frame was anchored around five development dimensions namely Economic development, Social development, environment, infrastructure and human settlement, governance, corruption and accountability as well as Ghana’s role in international affairs.
This was contain in a Sessional address delivered by the District Chief Executive of the Kwahu East District Assembly, Hon. Isaac Agyapong at the first ordinary meeting of the Kwahu East District Assembly held on Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Abetifi.
As required by the Local Government Act, 2016 (ACT 936), section 28, mandates the DCE to report on the state of implementation of policies and programs of the Central and Local Government to the house at the beginning or end of each session.
The overall performance of the implementation of the District Medium Term Development Plan for the last four years (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), stood at 91%. This, according to the DCE, implies that the Assembly has put in place more prudent measures and strategies and mobilized revenue and resources to achieve a significant proportion of the planned district objectives and goals.
For 2021, 109 planned projects and programmes representing 94% have been implemented. The high level of success chalked in the of these planned activities was due to active participation of key stakeholders.
After a successful inauguration of the Area Councils and Unit Committees in 2020, four of them including Abetifi, Nkwatia, Kwahu Tafo and Pepease have been functional and collecting their ceded revenues.
Financial Performance
The fee fixing resolution 2022, has been approved by the Assembly. The collection of fees and rates have begun in earnest. The fees and rates saw a general upward review in consonance with the current economic trends and in consultation with the relevant stakeholders.
The Composite Budgeting for 2022 is aimed at deepening fiscal Decentralization, enhance prudent financial management and improve efficiency in the utilization of public funds.
The Composite Budget was based on the District’s Medium Term Development Plan 2022 – 2025 and 2022 Annual Action Plan. The budget seeks to enhance prudent financial management and improve revenue mobilization for quality service delivery.
The Assembly realized a total amount of Gh¢573,283.36 out of the total budgeted amount of Gh¢587,230.00 representing 94.63% achievement for the year 2021 on Internal Generated Fund (IGF). However, comparing 2021 to 2020, revenue performance has increased by 16.01%.
However, the first two months of the year saw a total revenue performance of 6.28% and 37.68% as against a total budgeted amount of Gh550,701.24 and two months revenue target at Gh¢91,783.54.
A further analysis indicates that revenue as of February dropped by 15.23%. The fall in revenue performance was as a result of the Government’s property rate policy which directed all Assemblies to halt the collection of property rate till it is fully implemented.
Agriculture
The Agriculture sector in the district comprises rips (including cocoa and cashew), livestock, fisheries and aquaculture and forestry and logging. It is made up of, predominantly, small holder farmers in rural communities. The sector offers employment to 60% of the population in the district.
One major project which is currently being implemented under agriculture in the district is the Ghana Productive Safety Net Project (GPSNP) which is aimed at strengthening safety net systems that improve the productivity of he poor though Labour Intensive Public works (LIPW). The first phase of the project in March 2022.
Other projects and programmes under agriculture include:
° Construction of No.2 Market Pavilion at Kotoso
° Nursing and distribution of 50,000 cocoa seedlings across the district.
° Nursing and distribution of 200,000 cashew seedlings
Education
Key infrastructure projects constructed within the period include:
Construction of 3 unit classroom block with office, store, 4 seater toilet and urinal at Oboyan.
3 classroom block with office, store, 4 seater toilet and urinal at Nkwatia SDA primary, 3 storey Dormitory at Nkwatia Presby SHS, 12 unit classroom block at st. Peter’s SHS, Dining hall at Nkwatia Presby SHS, 16 unit classroom block at Kwahu Tafo SHS, 18 unit classroom block at Kwahu Tafo SHS, 6 unit classroom block at st. Dominic’s sec.tec at Pepease, etc.
Health
Under the health, the assembly has undertaken a number of significant projects including construction of medical diagnostic center at Bokuruwa, construction of a CHIP compound at Mota, Abisu No.1, Oframase and Miaso respectively.
The Assembly has continued and deepen expanded the implementation of major social protection intervention to address poverty and vulnerability. These include the expansion of NHIS coverage, increase in number of schools benefiting from the school Feeding Programme, increase in LEAP beneficiaries and increase in support for PWDs.
A total of 478 PWDs with tools and equipment, education al support and medical assistance has been implemented.
Roads conditions in the district before 2019 were very poor with only about 36% of the road network in good condition. Within the past two years, about 80% of roads has being paved, including town roads at Abetifi, Kwahu Tafo and Nkwatia.
Major trunk roads currently under construction include, Dwerebease-Hweehwee – Mpraeso road, Kwahu Tafo – Ankoma – Miaso road, Ankoma – Abisu road, Kwahu Tafo – Bokuruwa – Pepease road and Ahinase – Nkwantanang road.
The Assembly has also under take major projects in Water and Sanitation, Rural Electrification, environment, infrastructure and human settlement which are captured in their report.
