Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly working to meet revenue targets

By Fatima Anafu-Astanga, GNA
Bolgatanga, Oct.20, GNA - The Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly in the 2015 fiscal year experienced various challenges and could not meet its projected revenue collections goal.

Management of the Assembly has attributed the abysmal performance to stalled Public, Private, partnership (PPP) arrangements which they claimed had become a disincentive for the payment of revenues and rates.

They said the Assembly projected GH¢1,288,400.00 in revenue collection in 2014 under its Internally Generated Funds (IGF) and realized an impressive GH¢1,506.000.

However, in 2015 after estimating GH¢2,617,000.00, it could raise 1,900,000.

The situation is currently worsening in the 2016 fiscal year as the Assembly has only made about GH¢756,000.00 from the projected GH¢2,693,000.00.

This came to light during the Assembly's 2017 composite budget hearing for members of the public in Bolgatanga.

Mr Gbedurana Mustapha Adam, the Municipal Budget Officer, said the Assembly intends to execute more infrastructural projects including a new abattoir.

Other projects, he said, included the construction of a three-unit classroom block and a staff common room, procurement of 1,500 mono desks for schools in the Municipality and purchase 450 low tension electricity poles for the extension of electricity to some communities under the district development fund.

Mr Adam said the Municipal Assembly has projected to collect GH¢425,615.00 from rates, GH¢285,000.00 from fees GH¢20,000.00 from fines for the 2017 fiscal year.

He said challenges confronting the Assembly included inadequate funding, low internally generated funds, low participation of women at the Assembly and high illiteracy rates.

Mr Philip Aboore, Municipal Chief Executive, who read a speech on behalf of the Regional Minister urged all MMDAs to attach seriousness to the generation of revenues to the assemblies and asked them to lead the crusade in seeking ways to increase revenue to support the government wage bill.

He said the implementation of fiscal decentralization reforms provided opportunities for enhanced transparency in budget processes which provided stakeholders with an opportunity to participate.

GNA