Manage tax well
Jan 10, 2007
EDITOR’S COMMENT<br><br>Several local councils have demonstrated that with prudent financial management, a lot can be achieved with so little. Using the 25% of locally generated revenue, a number of local councils have put in place projects to improve the livelihood of their communities (see sto
EDITOR’S COMMENT
Several local councils have demonstrated that with prudent financial management, a lot can be achieved with so little. Using the 25% of locally generated revenue, a number of local councils have put in place projects to improve the livelihood of their communities (see story on page 17). The Local Government Act states that every village must receive 25% of taxes collected from a given LC1 area.
However, on many occasions, these funds are not returned either after the LC3 council agrees with the villages not to return it, or after the LC3 council deliberately refuses to remit it to lower councils. In cases where they have been returned, the usage leaves a lot to be desired. The village is supposed to meet and agree on how this money is spent but this does not usually happen.
Instead, a clique of the executive shares the money. This is contrary to the law. It is high time the utilisation of this money is checked lest people abuse them.
Several local councils have demonstrated that with prudent financial management, a lot can be achieved with so little. Using the 25% of locally generated revenue, a number of local councils have put in place projects to improve the livelihood of their communities (see story on page 17). The Local Government Act states that every village must receive 25% of taxes collected from a given LC1 area.
However, on many occasions, these funds are not returned either after the LC3 council agrees with the villages not to return it, or after the LC3 council deliberately refuses to remit it to lower councils. In cases where they have been returned, the usage leaves a lot to be desired. The village is supposed to meet and agree on how this money is spent but this does not usually happen.
Instead, a clique of the executive shares the money. This is contrary to the law. It is high time the utilisation of this money is checked lest people abuse them.