The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has held a roundtable deliberations on Domestic Revenue Mobilization (DRM) for Pro-Poor funds management and disbursement.
The deliberation was meant to identify loopholes in tax administration and public financial management as well as build a constituency around the need for transparent and proper application to the pro-poor sectors (education, agriculture and health, targeting women) for maximum public benefits.
The project was also aimed at stimulati g citizens’ dialogue and awareness of how corrupt practices stifle improved DRM opportunities and to make proposals for policy makers to adopt them.
Vitus Adaboo Azeem, a Consultant and a former Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative, in a presentation said the discussion is to ensure evidence-based advocacy on DRM and pro-poor spending hence carrying out engagements with policymakers on improving DRM and pro-poor spending.
He said , the program will validate the research presented on two papers which were commissioned by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition as part of a project titled, “Citizens Action for Improved Domestic Revenue Mobilization (DRM) for Pro-Poor Spending and Efficiency in Revenue Utilization”.
“These goals of the project are drawn from: the challenges on fiscal injustice; and fed by the recent IMF calls for aggressive local revenue generation following the end of the Extended Credit Facility support to Ghana”, he stated.
Emphasizing further that, “Taxation is the main domestic approach in providing governments with the funds needed to invest in development; to reduce the country’s dependence on aid and other external resources; and to ensure a predictable fiscal environment to promote growth”.
Harrison Cudjoe, Research and Policy Officer at the GACC, indicated that, the exercise was aimed at exploring ways through which the country could promote and increase accountability.
“GACC seeks to identify, create and build the capacity of citizen networks for enhancing (DRM) and to launch an online platform aimed at tracking and reporting on government’s promises on (DRM) and efficient pro-poor spending”.
The goal of the coalition he said is to help support government’s plan on nation-wide strategies geared towards the education of citizens on domestic resources mobilization which will improve its revenue generation.
“GACC will as part of its project engage Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Education Service and other stakeholders to meet the target proposed by the Minister of Finance in this year’s Fiscal and Financial Budget” he revealed.
According to him, revenue generation is one of the most important aspects of economic growth, therefore efforts must be adopted to properly utilize resources generated.
Meanwhile, Cudjoe has hinted of plans for the GACC to meet the Budget Division of the Ministry of Finance, the Minority Caucus in Parliament as well as some taxpayers.
“The main focus for the coalition is geared towards assisting government to meet its revenue target”, he stressed.
Indicating that as a civil society, their goal is to police the systems by ensuring that we can achieve the targets we have set for ourselves.
“We want Ghana to progress and transform; that is why we have taken this initiative” Mr. Cudjoe opined.
Source: Delali Gavor
