The Accra Metropolitan Assembly(AMA) has met the Business Committee of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) over the implementation of a new digitalization system to be rolled out in the coming days.
The new system to be piloted in the Ashiedu Keteke Sub-Metropolitan District aims to among other things streamline processes, curb revenue leakages, and improve efficiency in financial transactions within the metropolitan area.
With the new digitalised system clients would receive an SMS from AMA via a registered business phone number with a link to access bills and complete payment through the banks, mobile money or by either dialling *222*33# across all networks, scan a QR code.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, the Mayor of Accra explained that the decision to transition to a digital revenue collection system comes amidst growing calls for greater accountability and technological advancement in public service delivery adding that by leveraging digital platforms, the AMA sought to not only optimize revenue generation but also block all revenue leakages.
Hon Elizabeth Sackey emphasized the importance of engaging stakeholders like GUTA in the implementation process and stressed the urgent need for collaboration to ensure the successful adoption of the new digital system.
“The new system is poised to bring about transformative changes in revenue collection and enable real-time tracking of transactions, reduce administrative bottlenecks, and enhance the overall efficiency of revenue management processes, ” she said.
She reiterated that there were no changes in the amount to be paid for every category of business adding that accredited AMA officers would be strategically positioned to assist clients make payments.
She appealed to the business community to embrace the new system as it was an inspiration for development and progress.
The Director for Welfare for GUTA (National), Mr Benjamin Yeboah, expressed their support for digitalization and raised some concerns related to wrong billing, the user-friendliness of the digital payment platform, security and integrity of their financial transactions in the new system among others.
“Often, when dealing with these systems, there can be network issues and challenges with categorization. It’s important to avoid situations where one individual operates multiple shops entirely different from each other, ” he said.
He also emphasized the importance of an accessible complaint desk, where anyone facing an issue could easily reach out for assistance, ensuring prompt attention rather than encountering automated voice responses with no resolution.
Mr. Yeboah requested a grace period to engage in dialogue and educate its members about the new development, to resolve any emerging issues and ensure a smoother system for all members.
