The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has rolled all three basic requirements for the implementation of electronic taxation (e-taxation) to ensure a sustainable revenue mobilisation.
The e-taxation concept is the use of smart and digital technologies in the management and operations in the city.
Following the selection of Kumasi for the project, the KMA has established a comprehensive database of all property values, with commercial and residential demarcation for proper tax management purposes.
It has also established a centre to process data, and further gone to the extent of procuring 70 Point of Sale (POS) devises to ensure effective digital revenue collection, mainly from business operative permits and licences.
The POS has a 24-hour internet connectivity, provided by MTN.
The project is being implemented with the support of the Africa Smart Towns Network (ASToN), and funded by Agence Française de Développement (AfD) at €100,000.
The Mayor of Kumasi, Mr. Samuel Pyne, while distributing the POS devices on Monday, urged the revenue collectors of the assembly at the various Sub Metro Councils to work diligently and achieve results to ensure proper accountability and development in the Metropolis.
Mr. Pyne assured them that the KMA would ensure that the requisite equipment and tools, including desk top computers and adequate POS devices, are procured, as well as ensure a well functioning internet service to make the Data Centre functional.
Mr. David Abbam Adjei, Metro Finance Officer, disclosed that the Data Centre captures about 85% of businesses in the Metropolis for the purposes of taxation, and hoped the Assembly’s Internally Generated Fund (IGF) would be sustained.
Meanwhile, the Revenue Sub-Committee of the Assembly has directed that all Sub-Metro Councils must distribute demand notices to business concerns in good time to ensure effective revenue collection to raise funds for its development agenda.
