Hon. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Senior Advisor to the President, has urged Assemblies to collaborate with other state agencies to improve upon internal revenue generation.
This, he disclosed, would help the Assemblies to depend on themselves, and not to always rely on the Central Government budget.
“The Assemblies must therefore liaise with Ghana Revenue Authority and other relevant bodies for advice on how to use information to collect and improve their property rate collection drive.
“There should be no excuses for the Assemblies not to improve on their IGF and wean themselves off the Central Government budget or the Common Fund,”
Hon. Yaw Osafo-Maafo
The Senior Minister made this statement during the inauguration of the 14-member Local Government Service Council in Accra.
According to Hon. Osafo-Maafo, the assemblies need to improve upon their property tax and rate mobilization in the country.
With the kind of properties and businesses in most of the Metropolitan Assemblies in cities like Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, and others, most of the Assemblies still depended on Central government for their sanitation expenses, the Senior Minister revealed.
Mr Osafo-Maafo stated that, the 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC) results have provided relevant data and information on building structures in the country to help generate revenue including property rates, and property related taxes.
The PHC results indicated that 80 per cent of the 10.7 million structures were actual brick and mortar structures. Some 60 per cent of the brick-and-mortar structures were residential properties, the Senior Minister stated.
“Most, if not all, the structures were provided with codes for easy identification and location.
“In Ghana, we only realise 0.03 percent of GDP from property rates and other land-based taxes, the Gambia generates revenue from property rates and taxes about 17 times more than we do in Ghana.”
Hon. Yaw Osafo-Maafo
14-member Local Government Service
At the inauguration, Mr Osafo-Maafo charged members of the Local Government Service Council to put in measures to improve the accounting functions and efficiencies of the Assemblies, especially in revenue generation.
There are a lot of revenue opportunities for most of the Assemblies and it is not clear what serves as barriers to revenue generation in Ghana, the Senior Minister stated.
“It is not certain whether it is lack of leadership or lack of expertise or the Laws governing the Local Government systems that are inhibiting the ability of the Assemblies in improving their Internal Generated Fund (IGF).
“Or is it corruption at the Assemblies? These are the issues that should attract the attention of the Council Members”.
Hon. Yaw Osafo-Maafo
Also, he noted that the property rate is a localised tax and therefore, to justify why people should continue to pay, there must be visible signs of improvement at the community level which could be linked to the rates paid.
Mr Osafo Maafo said it is important to note that there is a correlation between taxes paid and improvement in the social and economic wellbeing of the tax and rate payers.
Also, Dr Wellington Essaw, on behalf of Council Members thanked the President for the opportunity, and pledged their commitment to harness energies and experiences to secure and fast track an effective local government administration.
Dr David Wellington Essaw serves as Council Chairman, other members including Dr Nana Ato Arthur, Head of the Local Government Service.
Dr Esther Oduraa Ofei-Aboagye and Reverend Mrs Sanatu Nantogma, nominees of the President.
Council members also include Dr Kodjo Esseim Mensah-Abrampa, Director General of National Development Planning Commission and Madam Irene Naa Torshie Addo, among others.
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