The Deputy Local Government Minister, Augustine Collins Ntim, told Citi News that all is set for the inauguration of the new districts later this morning.

[contextly_sidebar id=”mJya8qctM1OFCqWr8KvZirIve7FIYgXV”]He added that the assemblies will operate from temporary office spaces provided by the government.

He however noted that there is a plan to get them to operate from permanent office spaces.

“We are going to inaugurate the assemblies through the temporary office space that we have identified, and going forward we are going to have permanent administration blocks. We’ve managed to put in place all the key staff in the various assemblies,” he said.

Parliament in 2017 passed a bill to allow the creation of the new districts, which the Local Government Ministry said at the time, will help bring development closer to the people.

Mr Ntim said he was optimistic the vision of the Ministry will be realized in no time as the number of districts across the country increases to 254.

See the full list of new districts below:

LIST OF DISTRICTS

• Ahafo Ano South West District Assembly

• Ahafo Ano South East District Assembly

• Amansie South District Assembly

• Amansie West District Assembly

• Atwima Nwabiagya North District Assembly

• Adansi South District Assembly

• Akrofruom District Assembly

• Adansi North District Assembly

• Adansi Asokwa District Assembly

• Obuasi East District Assembly

• Afigya Kwabre South District Assembly

• Afigya Kwabre North District Assembly

• Pru West District Assembly)

• Pru East District Assembly)

• Berekum West District Assembly)

• Assin North District Assembly

• Gomoa Central District Assembly

• Gomoa East District Assembly

• Asene Manso District Assembly

• Okere District Assembly

• Atiwa West District Assembly

• Atiwa East District Assembly

• Fanteakwa South District Assembly

• Fanteakwa North District Assembly

• Nanton District Assembly

• Bunkpurugu District Assembly

• Yunyoo District Assembly)

• Bolga East District Assembly

• Garu District Assembly

• Tempane District Assembly

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 38 new districts start work today appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Legislative Instruments seeing to their creation are yet to mature, thus the proposed districts are not yet to be recognized on government books to receive budgetary allocations by way of seed money.

[contextly_sidebar id=”NJ9TbN68VZsQU8srGzyCwSFflRv4LTcd”]”The fact is that, you can’t even say anything for the new districts. The same parliament will ask: where are the districts? We have not approved any districts. So until the LIs mature, you cannot ask for any money for any district,”  the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama noted to Citi News.

However, Hajia Mahama explained to Citi News that the new districts, when formally recognized, will draw funding from the District Assemblies Common Fund to start their activities.

“We will stake seed money from the District Assembly Fund to start the districts. So we explained to the committee that we cannot budget for districts because they are not yet there. The LI is not yet in place. The formula [for the allocation] will come before Parliament, so we will meet with the economic management committee, and put it in the formula, and the formula will come to parliament for approval.”

The Akufo-Addo government presented the LI for the creation of 38 new districts and municipal assemblies to Parliament in November.

The LI is to mature in 21 sitting days from Thursday, November 16, 2017, when it was laid.

The government is hopeful that the creation of these new districts will deepen Ghana’s democratic processes and boost the decentralization system.

Speaking to journalists after presenting the LI, Hajia Alima Mahama, said: “We’ve decided that we need to deepen our democratic process and decentralization system. There are some districts that have grown. We started district assemblies in 1988, the population of some of the district assemblies have even doubled. And the essence of our local governance system is to ensure that all persons in the district participate in the governance system and feel part of it. So we’ve decided to increase the number of districts, the districts that are big, divide them into other districts,” she added.

–

By: Duke Mensah Opoku & Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 2018 budget won’t cater for new districts – Minister appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The LI, which will mature in the next 21 sitting days, seeks to also carve some municipalities from other assemblies, and also elevate some existing districts to municipality status.

Speaking to journalists after presenting the LI, the Local Government Minister, Hajia Alima Mahama, said the move is to deepen Ghana’s democratic processes as well as the decentralization system.

“We’ve decided that we need to deepen our democratic process and decentralization system. There are some districts that have grown. We started district assemblies in 1988, the population of some of the district assemblies have even doubled. And the essence of our local government system is to ensure that all persons in the district participate in the governance system and feel part of the governance system. So we’ve decided to increase the number of districts, the districts that are big, divide them into other districts,” she added.

She however clarified that the new districts will not necessarily warrant the creation of new constituencies.

“For instance, you have Savelugu municipal assembly which includes Savelugu constituency and Nantong constituency. So that you have Nantong at its district, and Savelugu will remain a municipality. But in doing that, we have to come with an LI for Savelugu because you are changing its boundaries and an LI for Nantong, so that’s why the LIs look many,” she added.

Below is an infographic of the new districts and municipal assemblies as well as the elevated districts:

–

By: Godwin A. Allotey & Melvin Clottey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post List of new districts, municipal assemblies [Infographic] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The LI, which will mature in the next 21 sitting days, seeks to also carve some municipalities from other assemblies, and also elevate some existing districts to municipality status.

Speaking to journalists after presenting the LI, the Local Government Minister, Hajia Alima Mahama, said the move is to deepen Ghana’s democratic processes as well as the decentralization system.

“We’ve decided that we need to deepen our democratic process and decentralization system. There are some districts that have grown. We started district assemblies in 1988, the population of some of the district assemblies have even doubled. And the essence of our local government system is to ensure that all persons in the district participate in the governance system and feel part of the governance system. So we’ve decided to increase the number of districts, the districts that are big, divide them into other districts,” she added.

She however clarified that the new districts will not necessarily warrant the creation of new constituencies.

“For instance, you have Savelugu municipal assembly which includes Savelugu constituency and Nantong constituency. So that you have Nantong at its district, and Savelugu will remain a municipality. But in doing that, we have to come with an LI for Savelugu because you are changing its boundaries and an LI for Nantong, so that’s why the LIs look many,” she added.

Below is the full list:

–

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Full list of new districts, elevated ones appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.