Set up revenue mobilization units - Minister

Accra, Nov. 28, GNA - Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, on Tuesday urged metropolitan, district and municipal assemblies to face up to the challenge of low revenue collection to undertake projects and keep the environment clean.

He said the greatest challenge facing the assemblies was revenue mobilization.

In a speech read for him at the commissioning of the project office for the Urban Management Land Information System (UMLIS) in Accra on Tuesday, Mr Asamoah-Boateng said the financial weaknesses of the assemblies made it difficult for them to meet their statutory responsibilities.

The UMLIS project, which was on a pilot basis by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), entails the development and storing of electronic data on properties and infrastructure; identifying properties and property owners, developing updated maps for valuation officers and rate collectors, as well as standardizing house numbering, proper naming of streets and increasing property rate generation. Mr Asamoah-Boateng said if successful, the project would be replicated in all assemblies.

Mr Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson, Mayor of Accra, said UMLIS was part of the assembly's measures to bring about structural changes in its way of doing business, especially in revenue collection and accounting. The new system would integrate property rate and business operating fees, billing, payment and accounting systems.

He said from next year, the AMA would adopt a polluter pay principle for waste management to keep Accra clean.

"My vision for the city of Accra is a clean and environmentally sound city with disciplined residents, where the city is able to mobilize sufficient resources, both internal and external and utilizing them prudently".

He said the assembly spends four billion cedis a month on waste management and that it was time for residents to live up to their tax obligations.