Assemblymen at Asokwa in the Ashanti Region have resolved to collect property rates describing the new regime as counter-productive and illegal.

The members say the current system has taken a toll on the already under-resourced and impoverished Assembly.

Government through a single-sourced contract signed by the Local Government Ministry has awarded to a service provider to develop a common platform for collecting property rates. The new regime would ensure that only 30% of property rates collected would be remitted to the Assemblies.

But addressing a press conference shortly after an emergency meeting today, Presiding Member Elliot Fosu Bannor wants this initiative halted as he accused the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) of failing to collect these funds.

“During the meeting it emerged that our revenue had dwindled, and this is as a result of the property rate not being collected by the assembly and we attribute this to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and its decoy, the Digital City Solutions… So, we have resolved that they are not helping us and so the Assembly has resolved to collect these funds starting October”, Elliot said.

The Assembly is currently standing at the edge of a cliff. Elliot fears the situation threatens its finances.

“We need development. Do you know the problems that we are going through in our respective electoral areas? Sometimes it takes three or four years before the common fund comes. When it comes too, it comes in tranches.”

“This year, almost two or three quarters are in arrears. And Asokwa, we are not using the common fund, we are using the IGF and IGF is the heart of every assembly, especially the property rate…other than that, it will affect the local government system”, he warned.