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The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) is envisioning the digitization of revenue mobilization to ensure that processes comply with contemporary standards and practices.
The move is part of efforts to use digital tools for more effective management of local public finances and also to address leakage in revenue mobilization.
Mr. Osei Assibey Antwi, the Metropolitan Executive Director (MCE), who addressed an Assembly meeting in Kumasi, hinted that the African Smart Cities Network (ASToN) was supporting the authorities to realize their vision.
ASToN is a network of selected African cities that want to use digital tools to find solutions to prevailing development challenges as it pertains to their specific localities and contexts.
Consequently, the KMA plans to revamp its Revenue Unit with digital tools so that it can build a reliable database and adopt an electronic tax system to improve revenue mobilization.
The Third Regular Meeting of the First Session of the Eighth Assembly discussed issues related to revenue mobilization, security and infrastructure development, environmental sustainability, public-private partnerships, and the maintenance of public order.
Mr. Assibey-Antwi said that the total income received as of October 2020 was GH ¢ 34,271,791.92, which represents 58.22 percent of the total projection of GH ¢ 58,867,392.95.
Regarding the Internally Generated Funds, the Assembly had collected GH ¢ 16,774,454.40 of the GH ¢ 24,000,000.00 projected, which represents 69.89 percent in the analyzed period.
This performance, according to the MCE, was lower than the 83.33 percent expected for the period.
He noted that the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic took a negative toll on the Assembly’s revenue, and thus emphasized the need for authorities to devise strategies to absorb revenue for development purposes.
Source: GNA
