He said since the lorry parks were established over four years ago, revenue collectors had not been posted there to collect tolls from the commercial drivers. Mr Abban gave the directive when he addressed the first Ordinary Session of the Agona West Municipal Assembly at Agona Swedru in the Central Region.

He said this was to augment the Assembly’s internally generated funds to meet the new policy guidelines on how the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) should be spent.  Mr Abban said the 20 per cent earmarked in the DACF for the Assembly to undertake development projects was not enough, hence the need to intensify revenue mobilisation.

The PM said the Assembly had taken steps to reshuffle all revenue collectors, both commissioned and permanent staffs, to prevent leakage.  Mr Abban warned that the Assembly would not tolerate any revenue collector who would indulge in dubious means to cheat the system.

 “So far as I remain the PM I will do everything possible to support the management of the Assembly to achieve its revenue target,” he said, adding; “The Agona West Municipality is not poor as is perceived.” 

He said a decision had been taken to ensure prompt payment of commission to revenue collectors to motivate them to put more efforts in their work.  Mr Frank Yeboah, the Assemblyman for Lower Bobikuma, urged the citizenry to avoid politicisation of revenue collection, which could affect development programmes of the Assembly.

He said the people should see toll collectors as government agents of development and cooperate with them to make their work easy.   He called on the Assembly to come out with strategies that would help mobilise more revenue.

Mr Alex Ofosu, the Government Appointee, urged the Assembly to widen its revenue mobilisation net to get more people to pay taxes. He appealed to the members to assist in the revenue mobilisation to enable the Assembly to meet its target.