The Akatsi North District is to connect all its 130 communities to potable water by 2016. Seventy of the communities already have water.

Mr. James Gunu, the District Chief Executive, said this at a novelty District Level Public Accounts Forum organized by his outfit on Tuesday at Dakpa to render accounts of his stewardship to the people.

He said Life-Time Wells Ghana Limited, a non-governmental organization (NGO), was collaborating with the Assembly to drill boreholes in all the remaining unserved communities.

The DCE, who did not state the cost of the project, said the infant Assembly had since June 2012 repaired 20 boreholes, bringing to 78, available and functional boreholes in the area.

He said the forum’s objective was to fulfill the promise of accountable governance and build peoples’ trust and confidence in the local governance system to ensure their participation in it.

Health, Agriculture, Education, Revenue and Expenditure, Tourism and Infrastructure were covered in the accounts.

Mr. Gunu said the Assembly exceeded its 2013 internal revenue target of Ghc65,415 by collecting Ghc96,589, with government remittances bringing it to Ghc1,281,459 and expenditure stood at Ghc1,024,036.

He said about 60 infrastructure projects initiated by the Assembly were being done at several thousands of Ghana Cedis in areas of education, agriculture, staff housing, health, sanitation and security.

Mr. Gunu mentioned the construction of a DCE’s residence, establishment of a District Development Fund, development of the Dakpa crocodile dam into a major tourism site and an affordable housing project through private sector collaboration as among many other projects to take off.

He said all projects inherited from the former Akatsi District Assembly, from which Akatsi-North was created, had been completed and paid for.

Mr. Gunu said Mr. Peter Nortsu Kotoe, Member of Parliament (MP) for the area was supporting the construction of CHPs Compound, School projects, scholarship schemes among others.

He said plans were underway to upgrade the Dakpa Health Center to a District Hospital, establish a District Police Command and a Magistrate Court which would begin work in a matter of days.

Mr. Gunu cited the absence of residential and office accommodation for workers, activities of Fulani herdsmen and revenue collection as key challenges.

He said the area was endowed with vast agricultural, tourism and quarry potentials, which when well harnessed, could change the fortunes of the area.

Mr. Gunu appealed to the people to remain committed, united and peaceful to enable them help turn challenges into opportunities for all.

Concerns raised include need for speed ramps on the Ho-Aflao trunk road at Dakpa, materials for schools and public places of convenience.

They also called for more teachers in the schools.

Mr. Patrick Ahiabu, Presiding Member of the Assembly and forum chairman joined chiefs and others to laud the initiative.

He asked the people to remain non-partisan, united in their own interest.

Chiefs, Opinion Leaders, Students, Leaders of some Identifiable groups attended the forum.

GNA