MMDAs to rededicate themselves to revenue mobilisation
The Local Government Workers’ Union (LGWU) has called on employees of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to rededicate themselves to improving sanitation and enhancing revenue mobilisation.
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The revenue mobilisation could be improved, the Union said, through effective collection of property rate and Business Operating Permit fees to reposition the assemblies as catalyst for accelerated development.
“We remind all the MMDAs of our earlier appeal to review the privatisation of the collection of property rate. Rather, the assemblies should strictly enforce the by-law on property rate, since there is penalty in case of default in payment. This obviously can enhance the revenue base of the assemblies,” it said.
Property owners
A statement issued by the union signed by its General Secretary, Mr Joe Boahen, therefore, urged Ghanaians, especially property owners, to cultivate the habit of voluntarily paying property rate as their civic duty to help sustain the revenue generation for the MMDAs towards improved service delivery.
2016 agenda
It said the union would this year keep the assembly staff abreast of the Instrument of Establishment of the Local Government Service, LGS Act 656, of 2003 and the Commencement Instrument, 2009, LI 1961, since both instruments made the LGS a distinct Service which extends to local government or MMDAs and Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) workers.
“Under the Act, the LGWU is represented on the Local Government Service Governing Council, which is the highest decision-making body to champion the conditions of service and other welfare issues of local government workers,” it said.
Second tier
The statement said the union was upbeat about the smooth operation of the local government workers’ occupational pension scheme which is the Second-Tier Pension for MMDAs.
“We are hopeful that with Provident Life Trust as the Corporate Trustee, Local Government Workers and employees of the MMDAs will enjoy improved pension benefits envisaged under the Second-Tier Pension,” it noted.
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It also urged the Controller and Accountant General and the schedule officers at Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) to expedite action on correcting the double deduction anomalies of staff of MMDAs to lessen the agony the affected staff go through any time they received their salaries.
Political arena
On the 2016 election, the statement appealed to leaders of political parties, their supporters and all actors in the political arena to avoid rancour and other divisive tendencies which could undermine peace and unity of purpose needed to build a prosperous Ghana.
“Let us know that it will take collective effort to sustain constitutional governance in Ghana, so that the country will continue to be a beacon of hope to the rest of the world, especially in countries where electoral disputes have degenerated into violent conflict,” it also said.