I'll Introduce Centrally Monitored Digital System To Boost Property Rate Collection – Mahama Ayariga

Minister-designate for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Hon. Mahama Ayariga, has outlined plans to introduce a fully digital, centrally monitored system for the collection of property rates to boost Internally Generated Funds (IGF) of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

Appearing before Parliament's Appointments Committee on Thursday, August 27, Hon. Ayariga said the current system faces serious human and political challenges that make collection ineffective.

"When you ask the DCE to go to the chief's house and collect property rates, I'm sure he will think that you are passing a death sentence on him. You may not easily have a DCE insisting that his constituency chairman should pay property rates," he said.

He added that when collection is left in the hands of local political actors, accountability becomes difficult.

"When you leave it to them to collect they may also end up leaving it in the hands of party foot soldiers, families, nephews and etcetera. When they are given that task they feel that it is their reward for supporting a family member to become an MMDCE and so when they collect it they are not supposed to account," he noted.

According to him, these dynamics have contributed to the poor property rate collection over the years.

Hon. Ayariga said if approved, he will work towards a system that is centrally monitored and completely digital from valuation to payment and disbursement.

"I will look at how we can get a system that is centrally monitored, a system that is designed in such a way that it is totally digital in terms of identifying and valuing properties, totally digital in terms of the mechanism for payment and totally digital in terms of the disbursement of the resources," he stated.

He expressed confidence that such a system will make it difficult to divert resources and will help assemblies realize their full revenue potential to address development challenges at the local level.