The Executive Director of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, has revealed that most businesses operating in the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) are without Business Operating Permits.
According to her, EOCO is going to collaborate with the AMA to deal with this situation. She indicated that her outfit has decided to focus on the activities of various Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies in the Greater Accra region and support them to increase revenue.
COP Addo-Danquah made this revelation when she led a delegation to pay a working visit to the Mayor of Accra, Elizabeth Sackey. The visit was to inform the Assembly of its mission on how it could support it to achieve its mandate to develop Accra.
“We were in the Upper East and the MCE told us that those who were supposed to pay their rates and fees to the Assembly had done so by an invitation from EOCO… Together they have improved on their revenue collection and we want to extend that same collaboration to the AMA… There are a lot of businesses operating within your area of jurisdiction who have no Business Operating Permit from the Assembly and these are things that we will work on together.”
COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah
COP Addo-Danquah highlighted that there are a lot of things EOCO makes input on when it comes to the activities the AMA does. She explained that there are “a lot of fees and rates people don’t want to pay” and EOCO as a “state organization” will help the Assembly make the collection.
“… Also our presence here is to let you know what we bring to the table and how we can support you…”
COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah
AMA readies to digitalise collection of revenue
On her part, the AMA boss, Elizabeth Sackey, equally expressed concerns over the inability of her office to generate enough revenue due to leakages. She stated that the Assembly was in the process of digitalising its revenue collection system to check revenue leakages and increase its Internally Generated Funds (IGF).
Mrs Sackey explained that the Assembly was ready to work with EOCO to help address issues such as the issuance of fake tickets among other financial malpractices to increase revenue.
“We need your support in many areas and we are happy to have you. Our revenue is not flowing the way it should.”
Elizabeth Sackey
The AMA boss further assured the EOCO team of her offices’ resolve to work together to increase the Assembly’s revenue base.
It will be recalled that in November last year, the AMA boss bemoaned the non-payment of rates by property owners in Accra. She indicated that the huge sums of the revenue which could be used to undertake developmental projects to better the lives of city dwellers locked up with property owners and businesses.
