THE National Accountant of the World Bank assisted Community-Based Rural Development Programme (CBRDP) is reported to have revealed that funds meant for the rehabilitation of roads, schools and other public structures by the 2007 floods in the three northern regions are still lodged in the accounts of some of the District Assemblies.
According to Mr James Ebo Sey, the CBRDP national accountant, only 2.6 million dollars of the 7.8 million dollars disbursed to District Assemblies in the three Northern Regions by the World Bank through the CBRDP has not been utilised.
The notion held by many observers is that most of the District Assemblies in the three Northern Regions have not attached any urgency to the utilisation of their share of the funds.
Incidentally, the revelation was made at an orientation workshop organised by the CBRDP in Tamale last Thursday, to update the knowledge of new District Chief Executives in the three Northern Regions.
The red flag raised by Mr Sey was to the effect that the Assemblies risked losing the money if the funds were not utilised by the end of next year.
Indeed, with the horrendous havoc caused by the unprecedented floods in many communities in the three Northern Regions in 2007, and with its attendant lamentations for financial and material support to assist the affected communities, it is really surprising to hear that only 2.6 million dollars, out of 7.8 million dollars disbursed to the Assemblies was utilised, with the rest, sweating uncomfortably in the vaults of the banks, as the deep scars left in the wake of the floods persist.
For the Assemblies which woefully failed to utilise their share of the funds, it is really difficult to proffer reasons for their inability to do so.
But can the Times hazard to ask whether it was lack of foresight on the part of the leadership of the affected Assemblies or lack of leadership commitment to the progress and development of such Assemblies?
And when the leadership of the Assemblies failed to utilise the funds, what did the leadership of the three Northern Regional Coordinating Councils also do? Did they remind the Assemblies of what they were expected to do?
The good news, however, is that the funds can still be accessed. The Times, therefore urges the CBRDP consultants to assist the Assemblies to execute the project through selective tendering so as to avoid further delays.
The CBRDP consultants should also assist the Assemblies to prepare the necessary documentations for the contracts to be awarded for the benefit of the affected communities.
This time round, the Times urgently urges the leadership of the respective affected Assemblies and the Regional Coordinating Councils of the three Northern Regions to be pro-active in ensuring that the funds are quickly accessed for the improvement of the communities affected by the 2007 disastrous floods.
According to Mr James Ebo Sey, the CBRDP national accountant, only 2.6 million dollars of the 7.8 million dollars disbursed to District Assemblies in the three Northern Regions by the World Bank through the CBRDP has not been utilised.
The notion held by many observers is that most of the District Assemblies in the three Northern Regions have not attached any urgency to the utilisation of their share of the funds.
Incidentally, the revelation was made at an orientation workshop organised by the CBRDP in Tamale last Thursday, to update the knowledge of new District Chief Executives in the three Northern Regions.
The red flag raised by Mr Sey was to the effect that the Assemblies risked losing the money if the funds were not utilised by the end of next year.
Indeed, with the horrendous havoc caused by the unprecedented floods in many communities in the three Northern Regions in 2007, and with its attendant lamentations for financial and material support to assist the affected communities, it is really surprising to hear that only 2.6 million dollars, out of 7.8 million dollars disbursed to the Assemblies was utilised, with the rest, sweating uncomfortably in the vaults of the banks, as the deep scars left in the wake of the floods persist.
For the Assemblies which woefully failed to utilise their share of the funds, it is really difficult to proffer reasons for their inability to do so.
But can the Times hazard to ask whether it was lack of foresight on the part of the leadership of the affected Assemblies or lack of leadership commitment to the progress and development of such Assemblies?
And when the leadership of the Assemblies failed to utilise the funds, what did the leadership of the three Northern Regional Coordinating Councils also do? Did they remind the Assemblies of what they were expected to do?
The good news, however, is that the funds can still be accessed. The Times, therefore urges the CBRDP consultants to assist the Assemblies to execute the project through selective tendering so as to avoid further delays.
The CBRDP consultants should also assist the Assemblies to prepare the necessary documentations for the contracts to be awarded for the benefit of the affected communities.
This time round, the Times urgently urges the leadership of the respective affected Assemblies and the Regional Coordinating Councils of the three Northern Regions to be pro-active in ensuring that the funds are quickly accessed for the improvement of the communities affected by the 2007 disastrous floods.
