Ketu North Municipal Assembly held its Third Ordinary Meeting of the Fourth (4th) Session of the Fourth (4th) Assembly at the Assembly Hall on Tuesday, 31st October 2023 to apprise the House on the performance of the functions of the Executive Committee and the state of the Municipality inn fulfillment of the mandate imposed by the Local Governance Act 2016 (Act 936).
Addressing the gathering, the Hon. Presiding Member expressed his sincere appreciations to Hon. Members for the confidence reposed in him to preside over deliberations of the August House over the years. He also expressed his profound gratitude to Management and staff of the Assembly for the numerous support and guidance provided during his tenure and extended apologies to Members he might have offended in the discharge of his duties.
He further indicated that the meeting was being held to discuss and approve the draft Annual Action Plan for 2024 fiscal year, the Annual Fee-Fixing Resolution for 2024 fiscal year, and the Annual Composite Budget for 2023 fiscal year.
Reporting on the state of peace and security of the Municipality, the Hon. Municipal Chief Executive said following signals picked by security agencies coupled with the chieftaincy dispute at both Adagbledu and Fiagbedu communities, the Municipal Security Council engaged the Deza Central Planning Committee (CPC) to deliberate on the findings of the Council. It became crystal clear that the ground was not safe for the celebration of Deza 2023. Subsequently both the Central Planning Committee and Municipal Security Council agreed and postponed the celebration of the 2023 edition of the Deza festival indefinitely.
Furthermore, he hinted Members that, in recent times, the Keta Municipal Assembly had been trying to annex part of communities around the Weta enclave as part of the Keta Municipality. He added that the case was currently before the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) for adjudication and hope to keep Members updated on any development with regards to the issue.
On good governance, he said the Assembly continued to receive several commendation from both external and Regional Assessors for its compliance and adoption of best administrative and management practices. This was evident in the recent District Assemblies Performance Assessment Tool (DPAT) exercise where the Assembly was rated with provisional score of 94% out of 97%. The adherence to best practices had also improved staff morale and enhance staff performance which has led to a harmonious working environment for excellent service delivery.
Reporting on the financial performance of the Assembly, the Hon. Municipal Chief Executive said that, the Assembly mobilised an Internally Generated Fund (IGF) of One Million and Fourteen Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty-Nine Ghana Cedis, Five Pesewas (GH¢1,014,859.05) representing 92.29% growth in revenue as compared to the same period of 2022 revenue receipts of Five Hundred and Twenty-Seven Thousand, Seven Hundred and Eighty-Seven Ghana Cedis, Five Pesewas (GH¢527,787.05).
He added that out of the total of One Million and Fourteen Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty-Nine Ghana Cedis, Five Pesewas (GH¢1,014,859.05) raked, Nine Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ninety-Five Ghana Cedis, Six Pesewas (GH¢965,995.06) was spent representing 95.19% of the total revenue collected.
On health activities, the Hon. Municipal Chief Executive indicated that during the period under review, the department carried out activities such as immunization, OPD services, Child Welfare Clinics, monitoring and trainings.
On education, youth and sports, he stated that the directorate received and distributed 3,536 English Textbooks from the Ghana Education Service in order to improve the quality of teaching and learning in Basic schools. Other activities included sensitization workshops, career guidance for Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates and subject combination in Senior High Schools.
Further, the Municipal Chief Executive said that the Social Protection and Community Development Department collaborated with the National Health Insurance Authority to register and renew National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards for 1,264 beneficiaries under indigenes and Persons with Disabilities, paid the 85th and 86th LEAPCycle Grants totaling Four Hundred and Fourteen Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty Cedis (GH¢ 414,920) to One thousand six hundred and three (1,603) beneficiaries which comprised of 375 males and 1,228 females from fifty-four (54) communities, monitored 20 households of LEAP beneficiaries to observe the usage of grants received to better the living conditions of the extremely poor households, and routine public education activities.
Reporting on Economic Development of the Municipality his address touched on activities undertaken by the Ghana Enterprises Agency through the Business Advisory Centre (BAC), the Department of Agriculture, the Physical Planning Department and concluded with some developmental projects currently on-going across the various communities within the Municipality and their levels of completion:
Reporting on the Executive Committee Recommendations, the Municipal Chief Executive stated that upon thorough deliberation on the report of the Executive Committee, it was resolved that
- A Committee is to be formed when the next Assembly is constituted to consider the management of the Assembly’s Motor Grader.
- The Committee further recommended an upward adjustment in the net allowance of Members from GH¢100.00 to GH¢140.00 effective next year.
- The Committee recommended the 2024 Draft Annual Action Plan, 2024 Draft Annual Composite Budget, 2024 Draft Fee Fixing Resolution, and 2024 Draft Revenue Improvement Action Plan (RIAP) to the House for consideration and subsequent approval.
Present at the event were: Hon. Byron Kwakutsey Kpeli (Hon. Presiding Member), Anthony Avorgbedor (Hon. Municipal Chief Executive), Elected Assembly Members, and Government Appointees. Also, present at the meeting were Heads of Security Services, Departmental and Unit Heads of the Assembly, Friends from the Media, and the residents.