BAK to privatise revenue collection

Kuntanase (Ash), Dec 26, GNA - The Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma District Assembly is to privatise its revenue collection to improve upon its finances.

This followed the concern raised by Mr Bright Addai-Mununkum, District Chief Executive, at the Assembly's meeting at Kuntanase, on Tuesday over the poor revenue collection, which had affected development.

The DCE said whereas the assembly exceeded its revenue target by over a 100 percent last year, as at November ending this year, the assembly had achieved only 89 percent of its target. Mr Addai-Mununkum attributed the state of affairs to malfeasance in the financial administration of the assembly and named under-invoicing, suppression of value books and other shady deals, which were uncovered by an audit team.

He said those involved had been given an ultimatum to settle their indebtedness by a dateline after which the assembly would institute legal action against those who fail to comply.

The DCE identified inadequate data on revenue items in the district as a major problem militating against effective revenue collection and said the assembly would from next year embark on a massive data collection on all rateable items and computerise them to ensure easy access to information on revenue.

He announced that plans were far advance for the assembly to conclude a contract with Lakayana Company to commence revenue collection and pledged to create a "revenue friendly environment" for an improvement in collection.

The DCE said the assembly last year completed and handed over the children's ward at the Kuntanase hospital and would upgrade the Trabuom clinic to a hospital next year.

Mr Addai-Mununkum commended the assembly members and other stakeholders through whose efforts the district placed 23rd in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and fifth out of the 18 districts in Ashanti.

Mr J.K. Assuming, Presiding Member, said the Assembly had resolved to empower the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to go ahead and use part of its share of the common fund to purchase a tractor.

He said the Assembly had already paid 300 million cedis leaving 90 million cedis to complete payment.