DANIEL Kenneth, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Okere Assembly in the Eastern Region has hinted that several tourism sites have been discovered in the area.
He however noted that the sites needed to be developed to meet the international tourism standards.
According to him, the tourist sites when developed would create more jobs for the youth and improve the Internally Generated Fund (IGF) of the assembly.
The DCE made these known during the newly created Assembly’s first quarterly town hall meeting dubbed, “Accounting to the people” held at Okere – Adukrom.
The event was attended by the residents and sub-chiefs in the communities over the weekend.
He noted that, the sites include; four waterfalls located at Akyerematen, Akaa, Asenema and Abiriw, the umbrella rock, fertility rock and several caves at Akyerematen, the Okomfo Anokye shrine and his birthplace at Awukugua and also at Dedeku, where a stream was created by Okomfo Anokye at Apirede and a forest reserve.
He indicated the assembly last year, budgeted an amount of GHC3, 400 to organize programs such as Okere Mountain Fest but got GHC5,673 presenting 166.9% increase which clearly indicated that the tourist sites can generate more funds for the assembly.
Mr. Kenneth explained that even though the site is opened to tourists, it lacked basic infrastructures such as roads and receptive facilities to make visitors feel welcome.
Touching on other projects, he noted that the Assembly was going to commission a a project at Awukugua and for that matter, entreated the chiefs to avail lands for the project.
He then lamented on the need to construct KVIP’s for residents of the district to avoid open defecation adding that their mission as a district is to improve upon the living conditions through effective and efficient mobilization to sustainable development.
He further indicated that CHIP Compounds were being constructed to support residents and stressed that plans are on board to support agriculture in the district.
He, therefore, promised about 77 villages in the area of giving them electricity to support their various activities.
Budget
The District Budget Officer, Mr. Kofi Eshun rendering accounts to the residents said last year, the property rate of the district as of March to December 2018 was GHC132,000 but at the twilight of the year, the rate was GHC36, 095 representing 27.3%.
‘’On lands which are permits, they budgeted for GHC91, 500 but at the end of the year, they had GHC44, 827 which represents 49%’’ he said.
He noted that ‘’again, their budget on licenses for the year 2018 was GHC78, 397 but at the end of the year, they had GHC86, 106.64 representing 109.8% which means their target was achieved’’.
He added that their market tolls were budgeted at GHC65, 00 which ends up GHC45,436 accounting for 69.9%.
Summarizing their budgets for the year 2018, he disclosed that, a total of GHC384,797 was budgeted but at the end of the year they had GHC224,548.20 representing 58.4%.
FROM Daniel Bampoe, Okere – Adukrom