The Sekyere West District Assembly last year collected about ¢1.58 billion as internally generated revenue, representing 88.8 percent of its estimated ¢1.78 billion for the period.

Besides, the assembly received a total of ¢3,778,165,241 as part of its share of the Districts Assemblies Common Fund allocation of ¢5,392,000,000 for 2006.

The District Chief Executive, Mr. Haruna Oppong-Boateng said this when he addressed the first ordinary meeting of the assembly on Monday.

He said though the assembly's revenue mobilization for the period under review was far better than its performance in 2005, there was more room for improvement.

Consequently, the assembly put in place some measures to improve revenue collection.

These included strengthening internal controls to reduce embezzlement and other leakages, training of revenue collectors, public education on the need for the people to pay their basic rates and re-evaluation of property for rent assessment.

Mr. Oppong-Boateng said some development projects were carried out during the year under review and that the assembly spent more than ¢500 million, representing almost 15 percent of its total revenue, on education.

On the progress of the National Health Insurance Scheme in the area, he said 59,448 people had registered with the scheme, out of which 51,128 had been issued with identity cards.

Mr. Oppong-Boateng said the district had been selected among 23 others to benefit from the Millennium Challenge Account which, when it takes off, would modernize agriculture, create more employment for the people and improve basic infrastructure.

Source GNA