Use IT to improve Local Government revenue mobilisation

Tamale, April 15, GNA – Local Government agencies have been advised to use Information Technology enabled databases to improve their internal revenue processes and management.

Mrs Evita Emma Dunee, the Governance Programme Officer, Ghana Developing Communities Association (GDCA), who gave the advice, said metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) still did not have proper database of entities and individuals who paid revenue within their jurisdictions, a situation, which affected revenue mobilisation.

She was speaking at a Tax Justice Partnership Project meeting in Tamale to discuss the advocacy plan on the compendium of best practices and share tasks to proceed with the implementation of the project plan.

The Tax Justice Partnership project was implemented in 2020 in the Northern Region by the GDCA, supported by Empowerment for Life Programme and funded by CISU, a Danish Civil Society Organisation, through Ghana Friends.

It was to promote effective revenue mobilisation in the MMDAs and respond to tax injustice in the country.

Mrs Dunee said there was still low education and sensitisation on revenue generation activities in most MMDAs and that local governments should adopt electronic payment systems to reduce cash payment to enhance transparency and accountability.

She said it was important for the MMDAs to improve on service delivery and accountability to citizens to encourage them to pay their taxes without any difficulties.

Mrs Dunee stated that MMDAs should involve citizens in decision-making and educate them on their tax obligations to support government’s development agenda.

GNA