The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Hon. James Klutse-Avedzi has reiterated the Committee's recommendation that Government must avoid employing full time revenue collectors at the Municipal and District Assemblies.

According to the Chairman, individuals employed as revenue collectors by the Government and put on payrolls deliberately refuse to do their duties because at the end of the month they will be duly paid by the Government. 

In the view of the Committee, all revenue collectors must be contracted on commission basis and be given 20% of what they collect. 

The Committee stressed that the revenue collectors will be willing to work harder and collect more revenues because out of that their commission would be increased.

This was disclosed at the PAC Zonal Public Hearing in Tamale to consider the Auditor-General’s Report on the Management and Utilisation of District Assemblies Common Fund and Other Statutory Funds for the year ended 31st December, 2022 and Pre-University Educational Institutions for the year ended 31st December, 2022. 

Appearing before the Committee, officers of the Garu District Assembly listed some of the reasons that accounted for low collection of revenue in their District. They include no targets for collectors, no effective system of monitoring collectors performance and Bawku conflicts largely affecting the commercial activities in the District. 

Meanwhile the District Coordinator and Accountant of Wa East District Assembly were turned away when they appeared before the Committee. The officers failed to attend upon the Committee with their District Chief Executive whom they explained was ill. 

However, the Chairman of the Committee suspected the DCE was only refusing to appear before the Committee.Therefore, an order was given for the officers appear before the Committee with their DCE on a later date.

Bawku Municipal, Builsa North, Builsa South, Bolgatanga East, Kassena Nankana, Nabdam and Tempane were among the Districts that appeared before the Committee. 

Some of the schools that were cited in the Auditor-General’s Reports include Sandema SHTS, Navrongo SHS, Zuarungu SHS and Daffiama SHS.

Sompaonline.com/Nana Yaw Boamah