The Budget Committees in the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have been urged to explore innovative strategies and corresponding activities that will aid the nation in attaining our shared objective.
Furthermore, the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Coordinating Directors (MMDCDs) have also been encouraged to take the lead in advancing the initiative for improved revenue mobilization and “They must ensure that once the General Assembly approves the By-Laws and Rate Imposts, they are gazetted to provide the necessary legal foundation for enforcing compliance and pursuing legal action against defaulters”.
The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta made the admonishment in a speech delivered on his behalf by the Northern Regional Minister, Mr. Shani Alhassan Shaibu, at the beginning of the 2024-2027 Composite Budget Hearing held in Tamale last week.
The Minister stressed that the Sub-structures (Sub-Metros, Urban/Town/Area, and Zonal Councils) have been established by law to execute delegated functions on behalf of the District Assembly, stating it is therefore imperative to activate and reinforce these structures, ensuring they are fully operational to strengthen revenue mobilization efforts and effectively carry out their delegated responsibilities.
The Finance Minister further entreated the MMDAs to follow due process to implement the approved budget and emphasized that the use of GIFMIS Financials is not merely a suggestion, but a legal requirement as stipulated in Section 25 (6) of the Public Financial Management Action 2016, Act 921.
“Therefore, it is incumbent upon MMDCEs and MMDCDs to ensure that all budgetary and financial transactions are executed through this system to streamline reporting and enable prompt decision-making. Compliance with the use of GIFMIS Financials is instrumental in mitigating or even eliminating the audit irregularities” he stressed.
Mr. Ofori Atta posited, “We can all attest to the recent economic challenges facing our country. To curb these challenges, Government has embarked on a journey that will fundamentally reposition our economy for economic transformation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) supported Post-COVID-19 Programme for Economic Growth (PC-PEG).”
He indicated that, “This is not to suggest that we have overcome all our challenges. The commitments made under the Fund necessitate widespread contributions and sacrifices, which will entail costs in terms of the fiscal adjustments we plan to implement this year and, in the years ahead.”
According to him, these measures are essential to maintain our stability, facilitate recovery, and ultimately drive our economic transformation.
Meanwhile, this final stage of the budget preparation process took place simultaneously in all Sixteen (16) Regions, covering all 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) from 8th to 21st October, 2023.
