Media asked to educate public on tax payment

Tema, April 26, GNA - Nii Armah Ashietey, Greater-Accra Regional Minister, on Monday called on the media and other corporate bodies to educate the public on the need to pay tax.

In a speech read for him at the launch of a Revenue Mobilization Campaign in Tema, Nii Ashietey said the media had a big role to play by sensitizing the public to pay their rates and levies to the various assemblies. The campaign, he said, was to be spear-headed by the press and reven= ue staff from both the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) and the Information Services Department. Nii Ashietey said the campaign would start with a radio discussion b= y the Metropolitan Chief Executive, the Chief Revenue Superintendent and th= e Chairman of the Finance and Administration Sub-Committee. The Regional Minister noted that the campaign could enhance the TMA'= s chances of receiving higher share of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF). He explained that the sharing of the DACF required that assemblies which generated higher funds internally should be given bigger share of t= he common fund as a means of motivation.

Mr Kempes Ofosuware, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, said the assembly had taken a number of measures to enhance its local revenue mobilization. He stated that early this year, the assembly organised a four-day intensive workshop for its 129 revenue staff to enhance their capacity in=

revenue mobilization.

Mr Ofosuware further stated that the aim of the campaign was to impr= ove the efficiency of the revenue collection machinery at the local level. He said it would also address the issue of shortage of reliable database for resource mobilization and would complement specific interventions supported by other donors that focused on property rates. Mr Emmanuel Adzei Anang, Member of the Council of State, advised the= 22 members who had volunteered to champion the campaign to work with a sense= of decency, be punctual and humble in discharging their duties. 26 April 10