The Chairman of the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Honorable James Klutse-Avedzi, has reiterated the committee’s recommendation that the government refrain from employing full-time revenue collectors at the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in the country.

The National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Ketu North in the Volta Region while expressing deep concerns about the situation stated that individuals employed as revenue collectors by the government and placed on payrolls often neglect their duties, with the aim that regardless of their output their salaries would be paid every month.

He thus advocated for all revenue collectors to be contracted on a commission basis, receiving 20% of what they collect.

“The government must adopt different approaches to revenue collection in the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies across the country. The current arrangement does not ensure efficiency and goes a long to undermine the operation of the various assemblies in the country”
Honorable James Klutse Avedzi

The new approach in the view of Honorable Avedzi would go a very long way to incentivize collectors to work harder and increase revenue collection across the 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in the country.

These sentiments were expressed at the PAC Zonal Public Hearing in Tamale, where the Auditor-General’s Report on the Management and Utilisation of District Assemblies Common Fund and Other Statutory Funds for the year ended 31st December 2022, and Pre-University Educational Institutions for the same period, were being considered.

During the hearing, officers of the Garu District Assembly cited reasons for low revenue collection, including a lack of targets for collectors, ineffective monitoring systems, and the adverse impact of the Bawku conflicts on commercial activities in the district.

However, officers from the Wa East District Assembly were reprimanded for failing to appear before the Public Account Committee sitting with their District Chief Executive, citing illness as an excuse.

The Chairman of the Public Account Committee described the excuse as a deliberate attempt by the District Chief Executive Officer to avoid appearing before the committee, thereby ordering the officers to return with their District Chief Executive on a later date.

Teachers’ Study Leave

Commenting on the issue of study leave among teachers in the country, the Chairman of the Public Account Committee, Honorable James Klutse-Avedzi noted that while the study leave initiative seeks to help teachers acquire additional skills in their field, it is often abused by the beneficiaries.

On the other hand, the Ranking Member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Honorable Kofi Okyere Agyekum urged teachers seeking study leave with pay to secure a guarantee from the banks to show their commitment to serving their bonds or paying back to the government.

According to Honorable Okyere Agyekum, more often than not beneficiaries of the study leave with pay by the Ghana Education Service refuse to serve their bonds and paying back the money to government.

The Fanteakwa Member of Parliament expressed optimism that when the banks are involved before the leave is granted it would be easier for the banks to retrieve the money from the beneficiaries.

He revealed that the Committee made this recommendation in its 2022 reports but the Auditor-General continues to capture such irregularities in its annual reports.

The various districts that appeared before the Public Account Committee of Parliament at it Zonal hearing include the Bawku Municipal, Builsa North, Builsa South, Bolgatanga East, Kassena Nankana, Nabdam, and Tempane.

The educational institutions that also appeared before the committee include Sandema SHTS, Navrongo SHS, Zuarungu SHS, and Daffiama SHS, Bagabaga College of Education, St. John Bosco College of Education, Tamale Technical University and Bolgatanga Technical University.