Mr Solomon Kusi Ampofo, the Programmes Coordinator of the Friends of the Nation (FoN), has urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to adopt a more participatory and inclusive approach in its domestic revenue mobilization efforts.
He said an informed citizenry was necessary for voluntary compliance in increasing Internally Generated Funds (IGF) and enhancing development in the district.
He was speaking at a day's engagement with the Media on Local Governance and Domestic Revenue Mobilization at Shama in the Western Region.
The training, in collaboration with the Shama District Assembly, exposed the media to the legal frameworks in revenue mobilization at the local level and empowered them with the tools to monitor the use of the Assembly’s resources.
Mr Ampofo said the engagement was to make the media proactive with the relevant information to follow up on revenue collections of the Assembly.
"We are expecting the media to be proactive in engaging the assemblies, especially in areas that contribute to the revenue mobilization”.
Mr Emmanuel Nana Yartel, the District Budget Officer at the Shama District Assembly, said the introduction of software in the collection process was to enhance revenue mobilization.
“As we are talking about Ghana beyond aid, and as an assembly, we should also do more as much as possible to be able to improve our local revenue mobilization significantly for local development.”
He indicated that the Shama District adopted innovative strategies to maximize domestic revenue mobilization through automated systems and commission for revenue collectors.
Mr Yartel said the Assembly employed communication and social accountability tools to help whip up public knowledge and support for revenue mobilization.
He, therefore, called on the media to constantly follow up on activities of the Assembly to help disseminate information on collection and use of proceeds to have the buy-in of the locals.
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