The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has bemoaned the inability of assemblies to generate their own revenue.
This issue according the Ministry remains a major concern for the government.
Speaking at the opening of the National Valuation Conference in Koforidua, a deputy sector minister, Nana Kwasi Adjei Boateng said it is time to introduce technology into valuation systems to enable assemblies to generate the necessary revenue.
“The major problem we have in this country is the inability of the assemblies to generate enough resources to be able to push the development agenda of this country. When common fund that is supposed to be released the way it should, District Assemblies are handicapped. But we also recognize the fact that the assemblies are sitting on gold. This gold is represented by the amount of money that they can get by way of property rate collection. We are not doing well in that area because that is required by us to push the collection of this revenue has always been a problem.”
On his part, Alhaji Sulemana D. Mahama, the Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission indicated that the commission is collaborating with the private sector to assist with innovative methodologies for revenue collection.
“I came into office bearing in mind the government’s efforts of virtually re-organizing all public institutions through the introduction of digital technology in our operations. We have in several forums have asked to use the new public management paradigm to leverage the efficiencies of the private sector for the public sector.”