The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed various Municipal and District Assemblies to comply with the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 2015 (Act 896).
The law mandates that withholding agents must remit taxes withheld to the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) within 15 days after the end of each calendar month.
However, the Auditor-General’s report has revealed that several Assemblies, including the Atwima Nwabiagya North District, Amansie West District, Bosome Freho District, Banda District, and Wenchi Municipal Assembly, among others, have failed to adhere to this requirement.
This issue came to light during the second day of PAC’s hearings in Sunyani, where the Committee reviewed the Auditor-General’s Report on the Management and Utilisation of the District Assemblies Common Fund and other Statutory Funds for the year ending December 31, 2023.
The Committee expressed concern about the failure to remit taxes, stressing that such actions impact the payment of salaries and allowances.
PAC urged the Assemblies to immediately stop these illegal practices.
The Committee advised the Assemblies to set realistic targets and stay within their budgets.
It noted that some Assemblies’ Internally Generated Funds (IGF) are insufficient to support the projects they have initiated, leading to delays or abandonment of these projects, which have been termed “legacy projects.”
This situation causes costs to rise and negatively affects the local population.
PAC also noted that some projects, although completed, have not been put to use by the Assemblies.
The Committee appealed to the Free SHS Secretariat to release funds to senior high schools (SHS) to help them operate smoothly.
Several headmasters and headmistresses expressed their frustrations, revealing that since February 2024, they have only received GH¢9,000 as recurrent expenditure, with no additional funds provided since.
PAC condemned the situation and described it as unacceptable.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Kwabena Nyarko Abronoma
