Nkwanta District Assembly fails to achieve revenue target

Nkwanta (V/R), Aug. 22, GNA - Internally generated revenue mobilization in the Nkwanta District of the Volta Region continued to show abysmal performance as only 431.7 million cedis was realised by July out of its target of 1.4 billion cedis for the year.

The figure represented 31 per cent of its budget estimates. Mr Joseph Denteh, Nkwanta District Chief Executive who announced this at an Ordinary Assembly meeting at Nkwanta on Monday, said only 805.3 million cedis, representing 67.9 per cent of its revenue target of 1.18 billion cedis for last year was realised from internally generated revenue.

He said the assembly in conjunction with stakeholders, had instituted prudent measures to boost revenue mobilisation and these include licensing of bicycles, motor bikes and landed property. Others are, intensifying public awareness on revenue mobilisation, assigning revenue collectors on rotational basis; and collection of fees and levies from food vendors in the night.

Mr Denteh said report on a study conducted by the assembly in collaboration with the Netherlands Development Co-operation (SNV) this year, on revenue mobilization revealed that most of the markets in the district were not fenced.

Others were non-payment of basic rates, low tax education, embezzlement, revenue collectors operating only on market days, aged revenue collectors, and the demand of royalties by some chiefs from markets in their areas.

On the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), the DCE said the assembly's share was reduced from 7.8 billion cedis last year to 5.8 billion cedis this year due to poor revenue mobilisation. However, Mr Denteh said the assembly had received its first tranche of 1.45 billion cedis but was less by 153 million cedis from statutory deductions leaving about 946 million for the assembly's development projects.

He said 1.3 billion cedis out of the amount was used for development projects including the construction and furnishing of the treasury office, renovation and furnishing of the residency, rehabilitation of a four unit junior staff bungalow, acquisition of an office for the Ghana National Fire Service and renovation of a senior officer's bungalow.

The DCE said, in addition, tenders had been opened for the rehabilitation of buildings affected in a recent windstorm. He announced that the district would continue to benefit from the Sixth European Union (EU) Micro Projects Programme.