FINANCING LOCAL LEVEL DEVELOPMENT BY THE W A MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

This study was conducted with the aim of examining how the Wa Municipal Assembly strives to mobilise resources to support local level development. Primary and secondary data were used for the study. Questionnaires and structured interview schedules were used to collect primary data from 450 respondents within Wa Municipality. The study revealed that there are a number of strategies the Assembly uses to mobilise resources. These are publicity and sensitisation, issuance of demand notices, door-to-door collection, privatisation and outsourcing, investment and lobbying. The major challenges faced by the Assembly in mobilising resources include high level of poverty, inadequate public education, absence of up-to-date database, inadequate coordination between Assembly and some public institutions, under-resourced logistics, political interference, lack of autonomy in the allocation and utilisation and delays in the release of the DACF. The prospects available to the Assembly to increase levels of revenue generation also include tourism promotion, investment in agriculture, improving on database, expanding revenue base and taking advantage of NGOs and CBOs. To ensure that adequate funds are available for financing local level development within Wa Municipality, efforts should be made by government to reduce poverty within the area, a good data base should also be built, a more active public education on the need to pay levies must also be done, there should again be adequate provision of logistics and finally cooperation must be built between the Assembly and the Lands Commission, and Town and Country Planning.