The District Chief Executive of the Sissala West in the Upper West Region, Robert Baka Wavei, has asked the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) Secretariat to come clear on deductions made from the assemblies' share of the fund before disbursement. He said for the past three years, it had been an annual ritual for the secretariat to deduct monies from what was due the assemblies without explanation adding that had been adversely affecting their financial operations. “Considering the quantum of money involved, we think the secretariat will have to take a serious view on it and throw more light on these deductions,” the DCE said on Tuesday when addressing the second ordinary meeting of the Sissala West District Assembly at Gwollu. He said in the quarter of 2009, a total of GH¢66,789.12 was deducted which was aside of the mandatory deductions, adding that the same happened for the third and fourth quarters of 2010 with a deduction of GH¢2,400.00 and GH¢20,000 were made respectively. He added that a whooping GH¢41,731 was deducted from his year's allocation of GH¢180,847.97. On the performance of the assembly, Mr. Wavei said the assembly had instituted measures including invigoration of the Revenue Task Force, introduction of stickers for all categories of vehicles and investment drive, to ensure increase in locally generated revenue. He said so far the assembly had at the end of August, this year, mobilised a total of GH¢72,913.91 as internally generated funds representing 59 per cent of the annual estimate of GH¢123,650.00. On health, he said, the district continued to make strides towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) but noted however; that inadequate health staff continued to be a major challenge to its attainment. He said the second and third phases of the national immunisation and de-worming exercises recorded 101 per cent coverage. Mr. Wavei said under the Self-Help Electrification Project (SHEP), 38 communities in the district were to be hooked to the national grid aimed at fulfilling the government's promise of extending electricity to all communities in the district to enhance business and commerce through the establishment of cottage industries. He appealed to assembly members to hasten the pace of the district's development to meet the needs and aspirations of the people. “We can make it if we set our priorities right and work harder towards their attainment. Let us eschew all negative tendencies that can derail our efforts,” he said. The Upper West Regional Minister, Alhaji Issaku Saliah, for his part, said it was important for the assemblies to implement principles of its co-operative decision making and shared responsibility for the management of the district and socio-economic development of the district. He said the Regional Coordinating Council would strictly monitor all activities, projects and programmes in the districts to ensure that the right thing was done.