Municipal Chief Executive Officer of Mampong, Thomas Appiah Kubi has commended members of the Kufuor Scholars Programme for supporting the Assembly’s revenue drive.

30 members of the Kufuor Scholars Class of 2021 were in the Municipality to help the Assembly gather data on erected billboards as part of the scholars’ two-week initiation leadership camp. 
 
Municipal Coordinating Director, Dr. Francis Owusu Ansah explained that the Assembly has recorded inconsistencies in the generation of revenue as a result of the unavailability of credible data.

In view of that, the billboard identification and counting exercise would provide the Assembly with data on advertising billboards and signposts erected along the principal streets of the Mampong Municipality. 

This will inform the Assembly of possible tax revenue generating spots, widen the income base of the Assembly and increase Internally Generated Funds for developmental projects.

The MCE urged the scholars to ensure the policies and programmes they roll out as leaders in future would not only improve the lives of residents in urban areas, but rural dwellers as well. 

“Today, you scholars are helping us to build our billboards data. This is helping us to know what is happening on the ground. And how best we can generate income to manage the affairs of the municipality. Thank you very much,” Appiah Kubi said.

He also urged the scholars to prioritise the interest of rural dwellers when they become leaders in future. 

“This foundation is building you practically to become fully-fledged leaders. One day if God should help you become a president, you would remember you went to Mampong and these are the areas that I passed and the difficulties that they are facing. Most leaders living in the city do not understand the problems in rural areas and make rules, laws and policies that don't factor in these people,” he said.
 
“Ghana is not only in Accra. So you make a policy that will meet the needs and lifestyle of the people. Development should not be limited to Accra because most of the people in Ghana live in the hinterlands and villages, so bring policies that the majority of Ghanaians would also enjoy,” the MCE added.

Chief Executive Officer of the John A. Kufuor Foundation, Prof. Baffour Agyemang - Duah expressed confidence that the experience will enable scholars to appreciate life and have reasons to be responsible leaders in the future. 

He said the camp was borne out of the conscious dream and efforts of the Former President John Agyekum Kufuor to let young scholars experience life outside the main cities of Kumasi and Accra. 

The CEO is confident that the community training would allow the scholars to bond and be active members of their communities, as well as aspire to have a lasting positive impact on deprived societies and the country at large. 

Dr. Pascal Brenya who is coordinator of the Kufuor Scholars Programme accompanied the young scholars.