KoKMA targets GHC 11.5 million in revenue mobilization

The Korley Klottey Municipal Assembly (KoKMA) says it is putting in place appropriate measures that would bolster its internally generated revenues.

It said it was targeting a total amount of GHC 11,509,200.00 million in Internally Generated Funds (IGF) with the introduction of an improved electronic billing system in the coming year.

This was revealed by Mr Joshua Jein Konde, the Municipal Budget Analyst of the Assembly, at an Ordinary Meeting held on Thursday to review and deliberate on its 2019 budget as well as to present its budget for the upcoming year.

The amount, however, falls short of the Assembly’s stated IGF target of GHC 16,368, 673.39 in 2019 which was subsequently revised to GHC 5, 036,700.00 due to unforeseen revenue mobilization challenges.

He said the Assembly is going to expand its revenue mobilisation base to include markets and lorry stations which are currently operating within the municipality but were not paying tolls.

Mr Konde said the Assembly is also hoping to accrue GHC 11.3 million (11, 338, 674.85) and GHC 60, 000.00 from government releases through the District Assemblies Common Fund and donors respectively.

Mr Samuel Adjei Tawiah, the Municipal Chief Executive, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said the Assembly is taking steps to seal all loopholes in its revenue mobilization efforts.

He said the Assembly was going to profile all markets and lorry stations in the municipality and issue them with unique identification cards adding that this would help them identify those who might renege on their tax mandate.

The MCE said the Assembly was also exploring other revenue generation avenues such as cleaning and making the Osu beach an attraction site to boost tourism in the area.

Mr Adjei Tawiah said the Assembly would maintain the same fee it charged for 2020 as it does not want to burden its constituents.

Dr Zanetor Rawlings, the Member of Parliament for the area, expressed her satisfaction with the budget and expressed optimism that the Assembly would meet its stated revenue targets.

She said the budget was comprehensive as it took into account other issues such as security, roads, health and schools, among others.

“I think that the most important thing is to see what we are doing, in six months we will see how far we have gone and that would be a real test in what we have managed to do with regards to what went into the budget”.

The Assembly was carved out of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly by a Legislative Instrument (LI) in 2018.