Deputy Minister of Local Government, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah says the government has introduced a fund to be disbursed to District Assemblies which exceptionally well. The Deputy Minister was reacting to comments made by panelists on MultiTV's current affairs program, Status Quo, on whether District Assemblies receive enough financial support for their development activities. Mr. Afriyie Ankrah says that fund is an added incentive apart from the district assembly common fund, adding that government is very committed to Ghana's decentralization system and that everything will be done to make it grow. Reacting to whether government will consider the election of DCEs and MCEs, Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah said that it will be a difficult option for government considering the possible implications it will bring on the current government's development agenda. Throwing more light on his assertion, Mr. Afriyie-Ankrah believes that for the sake of accountability and other crucial considerations, government will still maintain the current appointment system. He said that, most of the District Assemblies are doing well with their development agenda as government is giving them the necessary support. The Deputy Minister believes that, District Assemblies should consider other innovative ways of raising revenue to augment what they receive from the government through the District Assembly Common Fund. On her part, Madam Gloria Ofori Boadu, a former assembly member, believes that the DCEs and MCEs should be elected to make them accountable to the people instead of being accountable to the government and the Presidency. She noted that over the years assembly members have suffered a cycle of alienation as the current system does not allow them to fully contribute their quota to development in their localities. She believes that our democratic system will improve if decentralisation is allowed to take roots fully. Status Quo is sponsored by MTN and shown on MultiTV every Sunday at 9pm. Source: MultiTV/Ghana