Dr. James Klutse Avedzi, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, has reiterated the committee's recommendation for the government to refrain from employing full-time revenue collectors at Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs). According to Dr. Avedzi, such individuals, when placed on government payrolls, often neglect their duties, knowing they will receive their salaries regardless.
In a statement issued by the Media Relations Department of Parliament, Dr. Avedzi advocated for revenue collectors to be contracted on a commission basis, receiving 20% of what they collect. This approach, he argued, would incentivize collectors to work harder and increase revenue collection.
These views were expressed during the PAC Zonal Public Hearing in Tamale, where the Auditor-General's Report on the Management and Utilization of District Assemblies Common Fund and Other Statutory Funds for the year ending 31st December 2022 was being considered, along with Pre-University Educational Institutions for the same period.
At the hearing, officers of the Garu District Assembly attributed low revenue collection to factors such as the lack of targets for collectors, ineffective monitoring systems, and the adverse impact of conflicts on commercial activities in the area.
However, officers from the Wa East District Assembly were turned away after failing to attend with their District Chief Executive (DCE), citing illness. The committee suspected this as a deliberate attempt to avoid appearing before them and ordered the officers to return with their DCE later.
Districts such as Bawku Municipal, Builsa North, Builsa South, Bolgatanga East, Kassena Nankana, Nabdam, and Tempane appeared before the Committee to address issues raised in the Auditor-General's Reports.
The reports also highlighted concerns about the management of schools, including Sandema Senior High Technical School (SHTS), Navrongo Senior High School (SHS), Zuarungu SHS, and Daffiama SHS.