The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has said it will in March this year introduce a new digitised revenue collection system to rake in more revenue for the assembly.
AMA to roll out digital revenue collection system in March
Already, about 23 banks have been integrated into the new revenue collection platform to give users the flexibility of payment options.
Apart from the banks, ratepayers can equally pay their bills via mobile money on all networks, Quick Response (QR) codes and a USSD code yet to be introduced.
The new platform is expected to make payments more convenient, check revenue leakages and reduce alleged corruption in revenue mobilisation.
Voluntary compliance
The Chief Executive of the AMA, Elizabeth Tawiah Sackey, who made this known last Thursday, added that the system would also promote voluntary compliance and a conducive rate-paying environment.
She said that when she led a team of officers from the assembly to sensitise traders to new receipts for payment of markets and lorry park tolls in the metropolis prior to the introduction of the digitised system.
Ms Sackey explained that the new receipts had security features such as holograms in them for easy identification.
She indicated that the assembly was leveraging the government’s digitalisation drive to create an innovative solution to increase its internally generated funds and block all revenue leakages while reducing the human element.
“Prior to the introduction of the new revenue collection system in March, all traders and market women in the metropolis will be registered and given special QR codes to be used for payment of bills to the assembly,” she said.
She, therefore, admonished the market women and the business community to embrace innovation to bring development to the people of Accra.
No human interference
The Metropolitan Director of Budget at the AMA, Noble Atsu Ahadzie, stressed that the introduction of the new system would be without human interference as bills and receipts would be sent electronically to ratepayers.
He added that the assembly was rolling out a well-detailed stakeholder engagement plan to ensure that all stakeholders were well informed ahead of the commencement of the digital revenue collection system.
Those who accompanied Ms Sackey were the Presiding Member and Assembly member for the Avenor electoral area, Alfred Adjei; the Chairman of the Revenue Subcommittee and Assembly member for Amaamo Electoral area, Muzah Ziyad, and the Metro Finance Director Francis Anaba.
