Number houses to improve revenue collection - Dr. Awaitey

Tema, March 16, GNA - Dr. James Awaitey, Tema Metropolitan Budget Officer, has called for proper numbering of houses in the country, to help build a data base for revenue collection for District Assemblies. He explained that such data, would enable the assemblies to identify tax defaulters.

Dr. Awaitey made the call on Monday during an interaction with members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government and Rural Development, when they paid a working visit to the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA).

The 20-Member Committee, chaired by Mr Dominic Azumah, interacted with heads of decentralized departments, assembly members and officials of the TMA.

Dr. Awaitey explained that such data base could enable district assemblies embark on more projects to improve the living conditions of the people. On the capacity gap of the Assemblies, the Metropolitan Budget Officer noted that most assemblies could not recruit the required employees, due to their inability to pay them from their limited Internally Generated Fund (IGF).

Dr. Awaitey said that payment of salaries of employees and other administrative financial obligations, had adverse effect on the financial situation of district assemblies.

Mr. Kwaku Akportorsu, Tema Metropolitan Co-ordinating Director, who read a speech read on behalf of Mr. Robert Kempes Ofosuware, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, said the TMA generated a total of GH¢4,391,254.38 IGP in 2009.

He said that the amount represented 91.79 per cent of the 2009 budgeted component of GH¢4,783,777.00.

Mr. Akportorsu explained that TMA's total expected IGF for 2010 was GH¢5,648,807.00, which according to him was 130 per cent higher than the expected Common Fund of GH¢2,485,618.00. He said increases in fuel prices, sizeable number of employees on TMA payroll, coupled with salary increases as well as inability of some companies to honour their financial obligations, negatively affected the financial standing of the TMA.

Mr. Azumah commended the TMA the revenue mobilized in 2009, and entreated the Assembly to widen its mobilization net, in order to increase its revenue.

He asked the TMA to seal loopholes in the revenue mobilization system, saying that about 50 to 60 per cent of revenue collected on behalf of district assemblies by revenue collection Officers did not get to the assemblies.