A survey conducted by the Center for Budget Advocacy Ghana (CBAG), has revealed that the Tamale and Sagnarigu district assemblies continue to perform poorly in terms of internally generated revenue.
This was captured in a report on income tax and property rate presented by the CBAG’s Executive Director, Vitus Adaboo Azeem, at a stakeholders meeting in Tamale under the auspices of IBIS-Oxfam Ghana.
He bemoaned the situation and underscored the need for district assemblies to widen their tax network with emphasis on property taxation.
His call comes on the back of government’s decision to reduce the amounts allocated to assemblies through the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF).
He said the assemblies’ authorities have to discover other sources of revenue mobilization to execute their development agenda.
“The Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale Metropolitan Assemblies need to start thinking of how to get enough revenue without waiting for the assemblies’ common fund.”
He admonished entrepreneurs to honor their tax obligations to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
“I am not happy that private people who are fully aware of their tax obligations are invading taxes on the blind sight of both the GRA and the assemblies.”
He charged the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Tamale and the Sagnarigu assemblies to double-up their tax collection system.
He further implored the assemblies to increase their monitoring and supervision on revenue mobilization.
Vitus Azeem tasked the Ghana Revenue Authority and the district assemblies to deepen their advocacy on the new tax law (Act 896).
Country Director of IBIS-Oxfam Ghana, Tijani Hamza, said his outfit supported the CBAG’s survey to help the authorities reinvent the wheel and rake in enough revenue through Internally Generated Funds (IGF).
Hamza Tijani reaffirmed IBIS-Oxfam Ghana’s commitment to promote good governance in the country.
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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana