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KEEA MCE dissatisfied with revenue collectors

Mr Isaac Kweku Sam, Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipal Chief Executive, on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction at the low performance of both commissioned and permanent revenue collectors of the assembly and warned that inactive collectors would be laid off.

Date Created : 4/2/2014 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : GNA

He said the cost of mobilising revenue had become higher than the actual revenue collected and this was unacceptable adding the Assembly would institute measures to address that anomaly.

Among the measures were that targets would be set for all revenue collectors and a revenue score-board would be displayed to determine the performance of each collector based on which they would be paid.

Mr Sam said this at the First Ordinary Meeting of the Assembly attended by members and heads of department in the KEEA Municipal Assembly at Elmina.

He said the six zonal councils in KEEA had been provided value books and tickets to operate and called for maximum output, unity and seriousness to ensure the development of the Municipality.

He said due to the poor mobilisation of its Internally Generated Funds (IGF), the Assembly could not achieve its revenue target of GH417,174.00 .

Mr sam for instance said in 2012 the revenue generated was GH291, 263.62 with actual expenditure being GH327,037.35.

He said even though there was a slight improvement in the year 2013 as the IGF generated was GH309,266.38, it could not achieve its revenue budget target of 406,674.70 and added that it would require the collective efforts of all members and citizens to change the trend.

According to him, the projected IGF for 2014 was GH440,974 and the revenue mobilised as at February 28 was GH 57,006.77 and the Assemblys third and fourth quarter common fund allocation for 2013 was yet to be received.

On achievements, Mr Sam said the Assembly had qualified to benefit from both the District Development Facility (DDF) Investment Grant and the Capacity Grant under the Functional Organisational Assessment Tool (FOAT).

The qualification for the two grants follows the completion of all the minimum conditions of the 2012 FOAT VI assessment and that the DDF Steering Committee and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development would soon release the funds to the Assembly.

FOAT is an assessment tool used to measure the daily performance of Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs). Mr Sam, despite the achievement, was unhappy that the Assembly failed to qualify for the Urban Development Grant (UDG)-3 due to the abysmal performance of its internally revenue mobilisation.

On social interventions, he said a total of 1,446 beneficiaries from 783 households made up of 1064 aged, 17 persons with disability and 365 orphans, vulnerable and excluded persons were benefiting from the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Programme.

A total amount of GH77,798.00 was disbursed during the first quarter and urged members of the Assembly to support the implementing agencies and also urged the fund disbursement team to cooperate with Assembly members in their various localities.

The MCE, on developmental projects, outlined 30 projects including the construction of classroom unit, teachers quarters, washroom facilities for schools, road networks, rehabilitation of the SNNIT flat and Elmina new markets which were at their various stages of completion.

He said the expansion of the maternity ward for at the Elmina Urban Health Centre was at its finishing stages and that the health directorate was lobbying for the provision of equipment such as theatre kits and kits for Basic Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care services.

To prevent the outbreak of cholera and other food related diseases, about 68 percent of food vendors in the municipality were screened and issued certificate in 2013, he said, and tasked members to ensure that food vendors obtained health certificate before operating.

He expressed commended the members for their contribution to the development of KEEA and urged them to take keen interest in the development of their respective areas to ensure value for money.