The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) is in the final stages of implementing the African Smart Towns Network (ASTon) project being funded by the Agence Française de Developpement (AFD).
Kumasi is one of 12 cities in Africa privileged to implement the project which focuses on using digitisation to manage internally generated revenue.
The KMA is piloting the project at the Nhyiaeso Town Council and Sub-Metro Council levels with the demarcation of revenue collection zones, valuation of properties and correct identification of businesses, as well as building the capacity of revenue collectors and field officers.
As a result, the Assembly has organised a Town Hall Meeting at Atasemanso to explain the project to chiefs, landlords, business owners and stakeholders to solicit support of their constituents for the project.
The KMA Chief Executive, Sam Pyne, addressing the forum last Wednesday, emphasised that digitisation was the answer to most of the challenges in the area of revenue mobilisation, hence, the need to adopt the 100,000 Euros intervention by the AFD.
He said after a careful study of the project, which proposed the use of smart technology in the management and operations of cities, the KMA decided to focus on the Electronic-Tax option which digitised revenue mobilisation.
The Mayor said a comprehensive data base of all properties and their values with commercial and residential demarcations had been established for the proper tax management to maximise revenue collection to sustain digital revenue mobilsation which was a requirement of the ASTon project.
Mr. Pyne, however, assured the participants that the doors of the KMA were always open to members of the public seeking enhanced explanations regarding policies and programmes being rolled out in the metropolis.
Meanwhile, the Queenmother of Atasemanso, Nana Afia Konadu, has appealed to the KMA to consider a better drainage system for the local market which was affected by flooding when it rained. She also called on the KMA to help redesign the Community Centre to meet the social needs of the community.
