Members of the association at the press conference
A coalition of district assembly members in Ho of the Volta region is calling on the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to investigate the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Digital City Solution (DCS) over collection of property rates collected in 2023 and 2024.
At a press conference held on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, in Ho, the Presiding Member (PM) of the Ho Municipal Assembly, Mawunyo Agbe said a short not less than 55 percent of revenue was recorded in the years under review.
He said district assemblies across the country including Ho are facing “significant financial difficulties due to the illegal action by the above-mentioned institution and entity (GRA and DCS) from the beginning of 2023 to 2024. These challenges have been exacerbated by issues related to the collection and allocation of property rates”.
The PM added “The severe financial hardships experienced by the Assemblies from early 2023 to 2024 imply possible mismanagement or misallocation of property rate revenues. Transparency and accountability are essential to verify whether the funds collected have been appropriately distributed to the intended Assemblies. There is inadequate information on the total amount of property rate revenues collected and how these funds are distributed. An investigation would provide clarity on these financial flows”.
He said the situation led to the “Inability of the Assemblies to pay the ex gratia of the 8th Assembly Members: The financial constraints have severely hindered the Assemblies’ ability to pay the Ex gratia of the 8th Assembly Members. Since the dissolving of the 8th Assembly, the Ex-gratia of the members has still not been paid due to financial constraints”.
The assembly members argued that “Effective management of property rate revenues is vital for maintaining public trust in both the GRA and local government institutions. Investigation and prosecution from the Office of the Special Prosecutor is necessary to restore confidence in the financial systems”.
The aggrieved members, however, emphasized that the OPS should “Initiate a thorough investigation into the total property rate revenues collected by the GRA, Digital City Solutions Ltd (DCS) and scrutinize the allocation process to the respective Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies”.
Also, the OSP should “Audit the financial records of GRA, Digital City Solutions Ltd (DCS), and the Assemblies to ensure that all collected revenues are properly accounted for and distributed as required. Provide a detailed report on the findings of the investigation and the actions taken to address any identified issues. This report should be made available to the public to enhance transparency and accountability”.