UE/R: SOCO PROJECT FACILITATORS URGED TO WORK HARD FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT – DCE NABDAM
By: Prosper Adankai
The Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly has established a Revenue Mobilisation Taskforce to design and implement effective strategies, plans, and programmes aimed at boosting internally generated funds for the Assembly.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen local revenue mobilisation and enhance financial sustainability at the municipal level. The taskforce is expected to review existing revenue systems, identify gaps, and propose innovative measures to improve collection while minimising leakages.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Bolgatanga, Mr. Roland Ayoo Atanga, disclosed this in an interview on the URA Sunrise programme on GBC URA Radio in Bolgatanga. According to him, the Assembly is also considering the introduction of an electronic revenue collection system to address challenges associated with manual revenue mobilisation.
Mr. Ayoo Atanga explained that the move to digital platforms would help eliminate revenue leakages by reducing human interference in the collection process. He noted that electronic systems offer greater transparency, accountability, and real-time tracking of payments, which would significantly improve revenue performance.
As part of the new approach, the MCE revealed that he has held meetings with branch managers of various banks operating within the municipality. The discussions focused on developing mechanisms to generate unique identification codes for all business operators in Bolgatanga. These codes, he said, would be used to capture accurate data on businesses and facilitate efficient billing and revenue collection.
According to Mr. Ayoo Atanga, the introduction of business codes would create a reliable database of economic activities within the municipality, making it easier for the Assembly to assess, monitor, and collect appropriate taxes and levies. He expressed confidence that this system would remove the “human factor” often associated with revenue losses and enhance compliance among business owners.
In addition, the MCE disclosed that measures have been put in place to curb the proliferation of unauthorised structures within the municipality. He explained that such developments negatively affect spatial planning and deny the Assembly potential revenue. The Assembly, he said, would intensify enforcement of building regulations to ensure compliance with approved planning standards.
Mr. Ayoo Atanga reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to improving revenue mobilisation as a key driver of development. He expressed optimism that the new taskforce and proposed digital systems would significantly enhance revenue generation to support infrastructural and social development in the municipality.
