Government Urged to Engage Revenue Collectors on Commission Basis, Insists PAC

The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Hon. James Klutse-Avedzi, has reiterated the committee’s recommendation that the government refrain from employing full-time revenue collectors at Municipal and District Assemblies.

According to the Chairman, individuals employed as revenue collectors by the government and placed on payrolls often neglect their duties, knowing they will receive their salaries regardless.

The committee advocates for all revenue collectors to be contracted on a commission basis, receiving 20% of what they collect. They argue that this approach would incentivize collectors to work harder and increase revenue collection.

These sentiments were expressed at the PAC Zonal Public Hearing in Tamale, where 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 same period, were being considered.

During the hearing, officers of the Garu District Assembly cited reasons for low revenue collection, including lack of targets for collectors, ineffective monitoring systems, and the adverse impact of the Bawku conflicts on commercial activities in the district.

However, officers from the Wa East District Assembly were turned away after failing to attend with their District Chief Executive, citing illness. The Committee suspected this as a deliberate attempt to avoid appearing before them, and they ordered the officers to return with their DCE on a later date.

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

Schools mentioned in the Auditor-General’s Reports included Sandema SHTS, Navrongo SHS, Zuarungu SHS, and Daffiama SHS.