By Yaw Ansah/Millicent Bema Darkwa, GNA
Accra, June 27, GNA - Mr Kwesi Boateng Adjei, the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) has reiterated the government’s commitment towards pursuing its digitization agenda to ensure accountability and revenue mobilization.
In that regard, he stated that the government would ensure the harmonization of systems of all 260 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembles (MMDAs) for it to be used to collect and manage revenue.
Mr Adjei speaking at a meeting to validate the District Level Revenue Software (DLREV) in Accra said the move was part of efforts towards government’s Ghana Beyo nd Aid agenda as well as attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.
DLREV is a software developed with the support of the Government of Germany, which is capable of administering all revenue items such as fees, permits, licences, investments, and rates.
The development and implementation of the software received support from Canada and Switzerland as well as the United States governments.
It also has e-payment options and interfaces with other government systems, including the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System.
The programme currently supports 87 districts countrywide and was in the process of getting the necessary data, which allows them to collect property rates and business operating permit fees.
Mr Adjei said revenue collection by MMDAs had over the years been a challenge and performance and as a result, the Assemblies had been relying largely on central government transfers and donor funds for development projects.
Madam Verena Wiesner, Head of Operation at the German Embassy, said DLREV would provide the districts the necessary resources for infrastructure projects, services, and development at local level.
“Districts need to have their own revenues to determine the priorities for their development. At the same time, they need to be made responsible for the utilization of those funds,” she said.
“Ghana has made some significant progress in decentralization. However, the fiscal decentralization was still lagging behind and now has the chance to catch up”.
GNA
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