AdMA takes steps to recover levies
The Adentan Municipal Assembly (ADMA) has undertaken a revenue mobilisation exercise in the municipality dubbed, “mop up”, aimed at recovering monies owed it by business operators and property owners.
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Payment level
According to the accountant in charge of revenue mobilisation, Mrs Angela Tagoe, business and property owners in the municipality were served with notices in February to pay up levies they owed but quite a number have still not paid heed. Under the circumstances, she said, defaulters were given up till last week to settle their arrears.
She said as of now, only 60 per cent of the businesses with operation permits had paid up. The remaining 40 per cent are reluctant to pay their levies.
She said defaulters would have to pay their bills instantly in addition to a surcharge of 50 per cent on the amount owed or have their shops locked till the bill was settled in full.
According to her, shop owners that claim to have already paid must show receipts as a form of proof or have their shops locked until the receipts were provided.
She said, “We have cautioned the shop owners on countless occasions to leave photocopies of the receipts with shop attendants to avoid any confusion but they have refused to comply”.
With regard to property owners, she said 50 per cent of them had paid up. She explained that many property owners did not live in the community and as such they were required to make payment by themselves at the municipal assembly office.
Hindrance to municipal progress
The Chief Executive of AdMA, Mr Benjamin B. Angenu, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that monies so collected were used to run the business of the assembly and as such any delay in payments hindered its activities.
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“We use these internally generated funds to run the assembly. We also use a part to put up schools and clinics and undertake other development projects,” he said.
Mr Angenu said the exercise would run for a month and after that defaulters would be put before court.
Defaulters’ penalty
He cautioned defaulters to desist from the practice of closing their shops anytime they heard that the assembly was coming round to collect levies. This is because, “ they can only run but not hide,” he said.
He said penalties that were imposed by the court were higher than the levies owed by defaulters and so it would be prudent if they took steps to settle their arrears rather than face the law.
The revenue mobilisation exercise was led by the Chief Executive of AdMA and comprised other officials of the assembly, municipal guards and the police.
Writer’s email: adwofa@gmail.com