The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has announced that it will commence a major revenue enforcement exercise from Monday to recover outstanding Business Operating Permit (BOP) fees, Property Rates, and Rent owed by businesses and property owners within the metropolis.
The Assembly said the exercise forms part of efforts to strengthen revenue mobilisation and improve compliance with local government revenue regulations to support the delivery of essential services and infrastructure development across the city.
According to the AMA, in a statement issued on Friday, businesses and property owners who have failed to settle their statutory obligations would have their premises temporarily closed and locked.
The Assembly explained that the operation was necessitated by persistent non-compliance among some ratepayers despite several reminders and engagements aimed at encouraging voluntary payment of outstanding obligations.
It noted that payment of Business Operating Permit fees, Property Rates and Rent remained a legal requirement for all businesses and property owners operating within the metropolis and constituted a major source of internally generated funds for the Assembly.
The AMA indicated that authorised revenue and enforcement officers would be deployed across the metropolis to identify defaulters and ensure compliance with the Assembly’s revenue collection regulations.
It warned that businesses and premises found to be indebted to the Assembly would be locked and remain closed until all outstanding payments had been settled.
The Assembly further stated that penalties could be imposed on defaulters in accordance with the provisions of the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936), and relevant AMA by-laws governing revenue collection and enforcement.
To avoid disruptions to business operations, the AMA urged all affected individuals and organisations to regularise their obligations immediately before the commencement of the exercise.
The Assembly assured ratepayers that adequate arrangements had been made to facilitate payments, adding that businesses and property owners could settle their outstanding liabilities by visiting any of the Assembly’s offices and designated revenue collection points within the metropolis or via the following digital platforms; Property Rates: 22255#, Business Operating Permit: 22233#.
According to the AMA, revenue mobilised through the payment of permits, rates and rent is used to finance key metropolitan services, including sanitation management, public health programmes, environmental maintenance, infrastructure development, market management and other essential services provided to residents.
The Assembly stressed that improving revenue collection was critical to its efforts to deliver efficient services and implement development projects aimed at making Accra a cleaner, safer and more resilient city.
It therefore appealed to all businesses and property owners to cooperate with revenue officers and comply with their payment obligations to avoid sanctions during the enforcement exercise.
The AMA reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring fairness, transparency and accountability throughout the operation while encouraging all ratepayers to support the exercise in the interest of the continued development of the national capital.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
