The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) raised GH₵33.1 million in internally generated funds (IGF) by October 2025, representing 74.10 percent of its GH₵37.70 million revenue target.
Madam Ebi Bright, the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, disclosed this at the Assembly’s ordinary meeting, noting that the performance reflected steady local revenue mobilisation despite challenges with external funding.
She said the Assembly, however, recorded only 34.44 percent of expected grant inflows, receiving GH₵21.33 million out of a projected GH₵53.79 million.
Madam Bright attributed the shortfall largely to delays in central government releases, a situation she said continued to affect metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) nationwide.
She described revenue as the backbone of local governance, stressing that without strong internally generated funds, the Assembly would struggle to deliver services, maintain infrastructure and pursue development projects.
“We cannot build our development agenda on resources we do not control. What we can control is what we collect ourselves,” she said, underscoring the need to strengthen IGF mobilization.
The MCE noted that revenue collection was further constrained by the absence of a comprehensive and verified database of properties, businesses, billboards and other revenue sources within the metropolis.
“How can we measure leakage when we do not know what 100 percent looks like?” she asked, adding that incomplete data made it difficult to set realistic targets and hold revenue collectors accountable.
Madam Bright said addressing this gap would be a top priority in the Assembly’s 2026 agenda, describing comprehensive data collection as critical to effective governance across TMA’s 56.5 square kilometres.
She also cautioned businesses and companies operating within the metropolis to honour their financial obligations to the Assembly, assuring that enforcement would be firm but fair, with engagement preceding any sanctions.
As part of efforts to improve efficiency and accountability, Madam Bright announced plans for a full digital records management transformation under the 2026 Annual Action Plan.
She said the initiative would include scanning and indexing historical records, deploying an enterprise document management system and establishing digital administrative workflows.
Cloud backup and disaster recovery systems would also be introduced to safeguard institutional memory and reduce reliance on manual filing systems.
Madam Bright disclosed that the Assembly had already engaged the Public Records and Archives Administration Department to begin archiving physical documents, noting that digitisation would significantly enhance operational efficiency and transparency.
