Joseph Atura Amiyuure, Bolgatanga MCE
The Bolgatanga Municipal assembly has begun the digital process of collecting property rate as part of measures to whip up revenue generation.
The move comes under the 2020 resolution of the assembly to ensure that spatial property and businesses in the municipality are captured into the assembly’s new data base for proper collection of rates.
Adequate data
In an interview with the media, the municipal chief executive, Mr Joseph Atura Amiyuure, pointed out that the exercise will enable the assembly to collect adequate information on property and take steps to ensure people pay their bills regularly.
He said the new improved system will be used to constantly send reminders and alerts to property owners to update payments of their bills while a taskforce will be on guard to enforce the new plans.
Explaining further, he said it will assist the municipality to improve upon its infrastructure and social services to various sectors, especially on peace and security, education, health and the provision of water.
Skills
In her contribution, the planning officer of the assembly, Ms Juliana Agyeyomah, said the revenue collectors and a special taskforce have undergone training and are adequately prepared to visit various defaulting owners of property in the area.
According to her, the assembly is using the digitised address system among other data to build a proper data system to ensure readily available and reliable information.
Ms Agyeyomah further said the lack of such information in previous years, coupled with haphazard nature of putting up buildings, made it difficult to trace the various businesses and property, resulting in poor revenue collection.
Presidential advice
In the President’s recent inaugural address of the assemblies, he entreated all metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to adopt special client sensitive approaches to mobilise revenue devoid of challenges to the rate payers.
He urged the assemblies to use the newly introduced digital address system and the Ghana Post GPS to enhance internally generated funds (IGFs), particularly in the area of property rates.
