District Chief Executive Decries Poor Attitudes Towards Tax Payment

Kibi (Eastern Region), 15 Oct. The East Akim District Assembly realised 2.4 million cedis out of the expected 32 million cedis from basic rates last year. This means only 12,000 people paid their basic rate to the district assembly. This was announced by Mr. Mike Odame Darkwa, the District Chief Executive, yesterday when he was formally introduced to the chiefs of the Akim Abuakwa Traditional council at a meeting in Kibi. He said due to the low mobilisation of revenue in the district, the assembly's share of the district assembly's common fund has been dwindling thereby limiting the assembly's ability to provide more development projects. Mr. Darkwa said when he took over as the district chief executive a few months ago, the assembly had only 7,500 cedis in its coffers. To arrest the low level of revenue mobilisation in the district, the assembly has decided that the various funeral committees in the district under the supervision of the chiefs should collect the basic rate of 200 cedis per adult citizen per annum for the assembly. Where there are no funeral committees, Mr. Darkwa said, the chief and elders of the community should collect the rates on behalf of the assembly. He said the district assembly will provide the collectors with receipt books for the exercise and give the communities involved 40 per cent of the money collected. Osabarima Kena Ampaw, Adontenhene and acting President of the Akim Abuakwa traditional council, informed the meeting that Osagyefuo Kuntunkunuku, Okyehene, left the country about two-and-a-half weeks ago for medical treatment in the United Kingdom. He said the cost of treatment is being borne by the country and thanked the government, the Ministry of Local Government and the Eastern Regional Minister for their assistance.