Ensure Effective Separation Of TWMA From TMA - PM

The Tema West Municipal Assembly (TWMA) has voted to stop the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) from taking rates from residents of the newly created assembly area.

The TWMA observes that regardless of the separation of the TWMA from the TMA, officials of the TMA still crossed over to the territory of the TWMA to collect taxes which goes against the development of the new assembly.

Speaking on the side-lines of the TWMA General Assembly meeting during which the resolution was passed, the Presiding Member (PM) of the TWMA, Mr Kwesi Poku Bosompem, said, 'TMA still collects revenue from our area of jurisdiction. If it were to be on the boundaries of the two assemblies, we will think it's a boundary dispute issus, but if somebody comes all the way to Klagon, Batsona and Lashibi to collect revenue, it's unacceptable.'

He observed that the Common Fund and World Bank support was not available for the rest of the year, and so the new assembly only had the Internally Generated Funds (IGF) to depend on and therefore the need for the TMA to desist from crossing into their area to collect taxes.

He said the transitional team that was supposed to oversee the transfer of assets from the mother assembly to the new one said after March, TMA would have oversight responsibility over TWMA till May 1 'and we are in July so why will TMA still come over to collect taxes.'

Mr Joe Boaben Twumasi, an Assembly Member for Batsona Electoral Area and Chairman of Finance, Administration and Works (F&A) Sub-committee of TWMA, said that, as part of the sub-committee meeting, the Assembly Members would be given letters of introduction to churches, restaurants, pubs, businesses, etc. to create awareness of the existence of the new assembly.

'A task force would be formed to go round to collect and collate receipts of rates meant for TWMA but had been paid to TMA after 1st May and demand payment from TMA,' he added.

Mr. Twumasi said rate payers within TWMA must desist from paying rates to TMA or else TWMA would be compelled to send a demand notice to those rate payers.

His committee also recommended the demolishing of structures sited on water ways, on top of man holes and drains, and a letter written to estate developers who owned gated communities to either pay property rates on their houses directly to TWMA or allow the Assembly access to their communities to collect property rates from occupants and or owners of these housing units.

Mr Romeo Elikplim Akahoho, Assembly Member for the Adjei Kojo Electoral Area and Chairman of Development Planning Sub-committee of TWMA, observed that the delay in the appointment of a chief executive for the new assembly was the source of the problem.

He therefore called on the President Nana Addo-Danquah Akkufo Addo to give the assembly a chief executive officer so the assembly could have the full complement of its leadership to be able to project its developmental agenda.

He asked the ministers of Local Government and the Greater Accra Regional to stop the TMA from awarding new contracts to companies and organizations within the jurisdiction of the TWMA.