Gomoa Assembly asked to pay commission on ceded revenue

Apam, April 27, GNA - The Chairman of the Apam Town Council, Mr George Koomson has appealed to the Gomoa District Assembly to pay commission on ceded revenue collected by Town and Area Councils for the Assembly.

He said the Assembly entered into an agreement with the Councils to collect revenue on its behalf on commission basis. Mr Koomson said under the agreement, 20 per cent of revenue would go to the collector, 30 per cent to the Councils while 50 per cent goes to the Assembly but the Councils have not been paid their share of the revenue collected since 2003.

Mr Koomson made the appeal when Mr Fred Oscar Abban, the Presiding Member of the Assembly paid a visit to the Council at Apam. The visit formed part of the Presiding Member's familiarisation tour of the 14 Town and Area Councils within the Assembly to find out problems facing the Councils and identify new sources of revenue generation.

Mr Koomson said lack of funds was hampering administration of the Councils and appealed to the Assembly to organise workshops for members and traditional rulers on their roles in the administration of their towns.

The Chairman said this was necessary to avoid conflicts between the two groups over control of income generating ventures. Mr Abban said the Assembly could not function effectively if Town and Area Councils where weak as Unit Committees were not existing. He gave the assurance that the five per cent of the District Assembly Common Fund allocated for the development of the Town and Area Councils was strictly used for the purpose.

He appealed to the traditional authorities to collaborate with Unit Committees and Town and Area Council and not to consider them as rival groups.