Property database and business register launched in Kenema

By Mohamed Massaquoi

Local Government Finance Department of the Institutional Reform and Capacity Building Project in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme   Friday launched the Kenema City and District Councils Property Database and Business Register for efficient revenue mobilization in the district.

The ceremony was held at the district council hal,l Maxwell Khobe Street in Kenema.

Director of Local Government and Finance Department, Max Dauda said the motive for embarking on the project is to build the capacity of the councils so that they will generate enough revenue for their numerous activities.

He said his organization secured funding from UNDP to assist these councils in developing a business register and a property database that will enhance their own source of revenue through the collection of property tax.

“We realized that there was a need to build the capacity of these councils, therefore in 2005, World Bank provided technical assistance to visit all the councils in order to fast track this process” he said and maintained that the project implementation was divided into three phases which include the sensitization of the councils about the entire process, and preparation of survey instruments and the collection of data on property and businesses.

Pious Bockarie of UNDP lauded LGFD for making the project a reality.

He said UNDP realized that it was difficult for some ministries to devolve their functions to the local government councils, so therefore they provided technical assistance by recruiting decentralization experts for the process to become a reality.

“UNDP helped the local government councils to establish the agricultural business unit. This created positive impact on the food security drive. It is the concerted effort of all of us to ensure that the councils generate enough revenue,” he said adding that UNDP is always ready to give assistance to the councils.

The handing over of data collection equipments to the two councils climax the occasion.

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