Lack of reliable data hampers revenue collection

in Sissala West District Assembly

Gwollu, April 3, GNA - Lack of reliable data to assist the Sissala West District Assembly to set targets and accurately estimate internal generated revenue had accounted for its perennial poor performance in revenue generation.

As a result, the assembly has formed a Revenue Task Force to reach out to the people in the rural communities and collect taxes for the assembly to enhance its revenue base to undertake development projects. The assembly has also made a provision of 10,000 Ghana Cedis in its budget to support revenue generation efforts this year. Mr. Baluwie N. Salifu, Sissala West District Chief Executive made this known at the first ordinary meeting of the Sissala West District Assembly at Gwollu on Wednesday.

He called for the cooperation of assembly members to raise revenue from the perennial 52 per cent to at least 85 per cent during this year. He said the assembly was expecting to receive a total of 1,114763.68 Ghana Cedis from external sources and 62.5 per cent of the amount would be invested in servicing the assembly's huge debt, which stood at 757,753.66 Ghana Cedis.

Mr. Salifu announced that the assembly would invest 444,477.00 Ghana cedis in the provision of classroom infrastructure to facilitate the admissions of children at the basic school level. "Investment in education holds a trump card to the eradication of poverty, illiteracy, ignorance and disease in our communities and we must all work hard to achieve this", he said.

The District Chief Executive however, raised concern about the poor staffing situation in schools in the district, pointing out that the district needed about 99 teachers to augment the 252 teachers that had been at post.