Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Alima Mahama disclosed that, in 2017 a total of GH?663,183,029.70 was transferred to the MMDAs as against GH?461,245,117.86 in 2016 representing a 43.78 per cent increase.
She said the total net transfers to the MMDAs in 2018 amounted to GH?863,500,195.00.
Hajia Alima Mahama who was addressing the media at the Meet the Press series in Accra yesterday, said the transfers had resulted in the provision of over 1,200 sub-projects; including educational infrastructure, health, water and sanitation facilities at the local level across the country.
The Minister said about 81 projects on roads, education Health, Water and Sanitation, Economic and Market 21, Utilities and other categories had been carried out.
On measures put in place to ensure that MMDAs improve on their Internally Generated Fund (IGF) mobilization, Hajia Alima Mahama said there was a review and issuance of the MMDAs fee-fixing Guidelines in 2017.
She said the mechanism resulted in several MMDAs identifying new revenue items which hitherto were not in their books.
“These revenue mobilization interventions have resulted in an improvement in IGF of MMDAs. IGF increased by 3 per cent between 2016 and 2017 and by 18% between 2017 and 2018.
“The implementation of the pragmatic initiatives have increased IGF as a share of MMDAs total revenue from 18% between the periods 2013 – 2016 to 23.51% for the 2017 – 2018 period” she said.
Digital Issuance of BOPS
The Minister said her Ministry had developed a digital platform to simplify the issuance of Business Operating Permits (BOPs), in all the 29 districts in the Greater Accra Region.
The automation and digitization, she said, is aimed at improving Ghana’s ranking (currently 114/190) in the ease of doing business.
“Additionally, a Construction Permit Software has been developed for Accra Metropolitan Assembly and Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) under the Business Enabling Environment Project.
In AMA, the software had “gone live” with full access to Users (Developers, Architects, Surveyors, Planners, etc), In TMA, Local Area Network and wireless network is being installed and configured and will be completed this quarter; and this software will be deployed to other Assemblies, including Tema West, Ayawaso West, Ablekuma West, Krowor and Adentan Municipal Assemblies” she added.
Rural development policy
The Local Government minister further stated that government had developed a Rural Development Policy which will serve as a guideline for coordinated service delivery and investment in rural communities.
The Minister said the policy seeks to modernize agriculture for rural growth and development, provide quality socio-economic infrastructure and services in a decent and secured environment as well as maximize the potential of rural areas towards rural enterprises development and industrialization.
The document will also promote sustainable management and utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the rural population, promote financial inclusion in rural communities and strengthen participation of the rural communities in the decentralized governance system.
The Minister mentioned that some projects have been completed during the year under the Ghana Social Opportunities Project (GSOP).
These include Small Earth dams and some adapted for irrigation, 20 feeder roads and 78 Climate change interventions.
9,450 jobs created
She also stated that 9,450 jobs had been created and “total wage payments for the workforce stand at GH?5.67 million.”
“My Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) has secured a US$60,000,000.00 facility from the World Bank to implement the Ghana Productive Safety Net Project.
“An allocation of US$40,000,000.00 under Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) will be used to deliver projects such Feeder roads, Small earth dams and dugouts and nurseries to produce 8 million fruit seedlings to be planted within a targeted area of 1,300 Hectares” she said.
Hajia Mahama disclosed that the project will create 30,000 direct jobs, through a Labour-Intensive Public Works (LIPW) programme and provide grants to 25,000 individuals to start small businesses through a productive inclusion programme.
She also said “the Ministry in collaboration with MoFA initiated the Planting for Exports and Rural Development (PERD) as part of its efforts to support the Government’s National Tree Crop programme.
The PERD, she said, aims to use the tree crop sub-sector to provide sustainable income and create job opportunities in rural areas”.
In the 2018 pilot year, 4.5 million tree crop seedlings, mainly cashew, coconut and oil palm were raised from nurseries established in 106 Districts, and a total of 68,514 farmers planted the seedlings on 68,514 hectares of land”.
She said through the implementation of the Integrated Rural Development Project (IRDP), implemented by the Social Investment Fund (SIF), a total of 245 socio-economic infrastructure are being provided and at various levels of completion.
The implementation of these structures, according to her, has created 2,185 jobs and GHC 14.04 million was paid as remuneration to the engaged persons.
(Selorm) | 
(Nana Kwesi)