Mr. Francis Mensah, the Municipal Coordinating Director (MCD) of Okaikwei North Municipal Assembly has expressed optimism over the financial outlook of the Assembly next year.
He said the Assembly’s revenue mobilization has been invariably affected by the directive for the Ghana Revenue Authority to collect property rates.
This, he stated negatively impacted the payment of salaries of the Internally Generated Funds (IGF) staff of the Assembly.
Addressing a staff durbar on Friday December 15th, 2023 in Accra, the MCD was sure the narrative will change in 2024 especially when the Ministry of Finance has reversed the directive.
He said “Just recently the Ministry of Finance gave the go ahead for Assembles all over the country to start taking the property rates again.”
Mr. Mensah added “We have for the past weeks been putting in some measures as an Assembly and even Heads of Departments (HODs) and Units are involved in the collection of the property rates.”
He explained that the Assembly through its IGF provides basic services to the communities within the municipality indicating that “We are going to improve for the year on the payment of the IFG staff”.
Beyond this, the Okaikwei North MCD stated that reporting to work has not been encouraging and urged staff to improve on it.
“Clock in device will be installed at the various Zonal Councils to monitor attendance; clock in devices have direct impact on productivity” he stressed.
Touching on security, Mr. Mensah urged the staff to be conscious of their security at work and question “people you see around the Assembly before they enter the Assembly”.
He suggested the introduction of tags for visitors who visit the Assembly as a means to reinforce its security strategies.
The durbar coincided with the rewarding of two retired staff from the Service.
These are: Douglas K.D Doomson and Adjoa Serwaa both from the Environmental Health Department of the Assembly.
The durbar offered staff the opportunity for staff to engage with Management on concerns pertaining to their work.
It was also a chance for staffs to indicate their expectation for the improvement on the quality of work at the Assembly
Source: onma.gov.gh
Story By: Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson, AD IIB
