DCE appeals for GRA and SSNIT offices in Ningo-Prampram

Mr Jonathan Teye Doku, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ningo-Prampram, has repeated an appeal to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to establish offices in the district to boost revenue collection.

“Why should you have to move from Prampram or Ningo to far away Tema or Ashaiman just to pay GHC 10 or less? Mr Doku asked.

Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, at a public hearing, at the Parliament House, in Osu, the DCE made a strong case for the establishment of the two revenue collection institutions on the basis of the expansion, growth, and development of the District.

The PAC has invited the DCE and a team of officials from the Ningo Prampram District of the Greater to respond to some cited infractions on the Report of Auditor General on the management and utilization of District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) and other statutory funds for the district.

However, at the hearing, it emerged that the District Assembly responded satisfactorily to cited infractions in the 2015/2016, Report of the Auditor General, but one area which the Committee found it difficult was why an amount of GHC 20, 630 of tax, covering a period of eight months was not paid.

Mr Doku responded that issue had been resolved.

He recalled that he had appealed to the Chairman of the PAC last year to talk to the GRA to have an office established in the Dangme Area to care for the growing economic and developmental needs of the District.

According to the Ningo Prampram DCE, the Assembly has officially applied to the institutions on the matter, but the institutions were yet to be established in the area.

He appealed passionately to the two bodies to have their offices established to save the cost and inconveniences of travelling to Tema or Ashaiman to transact business.

Also, the Ningo Prampram Area, he said, has grown more than a district, and become an urban area, almost to a municipal area.

On his relationship with Mr Sam Nartey George, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Area, who was present and on the Committee, the witness said there was good rapport between himself and the MP, regarding the management of the DACF.

“I’ve no issues with my MP regarding the utilization of the MPs Common Fund,” Mr Doku said.

Dr James Klutse Avedzi, the Chairman of the PAC, said: “If you have good rapport, keep it and increase it; if not, establish it.”

Dr Avedzi was at a loss why some DCEs would want to sabotage their MPs and “micromanage” the MPs Common Fund.