Small Scale industries to demonstrate against STMA over fees
The Sekondi-Takoradi branch of the Association of Small Scale Industries (ASSI) has threatened to embark on a demonstration to compel the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) to seek audience with members to discuss vital issues including the rejection of business operation fees.
The executive members of the ASSI mentioned fee fixing, billing, categorisation, collection and payments of business operating license, fees and the refusal of the assembly to collect their business operating fees totalling GH¢1,100.00, as some of the pertinent issues bothering the Association.
The executives complained that the STMA had persistently refused to reply their letters and reminders written to top officials to seek audience with them to discuss their concerns and find solutions to them.
Three executive members of the ASSI, namely Mr Isaac Okwan Duodu, secretary, Mr Issa Kofi Ackaah, organiser and Madam Elizabeth Yeboah called at the Ghana News Agency office in Takoradi on Wednesday to declare the Association’s intention.
They produced letters and reminders written from May 2009 to date, some addressed to the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Finance Officer and the Coordinating Director, all asking for a meeting with the officials but which had not been responded to.
Mr Duodu, the secretary, explained that the intended demonstration was the last resort because the letters had not yielded any result.
“We have exhausted all diplomatic approaches and the only option is to stage a demonstration to force the STMA to invite and listen to us”, he stated.
Mr Duodu explained that the business operation fees had been pegged at GH¢10.00 per annum and realising that their members were not able to pay in bulk, coupled with the harassment their members are subjected to by revenue collectors, they decided at their general meeting to collect the money in instalments until the full amount was realised.
He said using this method almost all their members paid the fees and were able to collect a total amount of GH¢1,600.00 which they paid to the Revenue Mobilisation Officer of the STMA who issued them with a bulk receipt.
The secretary, however, said they collected another GH¢1,100.00 but this time around the Finance Officer refused to accept it and told them to wait but never heard from him again despite letters written to remind them. He added that the money was still in their coffers.
Mr Duodu said the present membership of the ASSI comprising photographers, dressmakers, hairdressers, traditional caterers, carpenters, and bakers stands at 1,515.
Meanwhile, Mr Opoku Boateng, Public Affairs Manager of the STMA, explained in a telephone interview with the GNA that the ASSI had no authority to collect fees and licences on behalf of the STMA, hence the rejection of the money by the Finance Officer.
According to him the Revenue Mobilisation Officer of the STMA who collected the initial fee of GH¢1,600.00 has been queried for the action.
Mr Opoku explained that the ASSI members were operating different businesses therefore they were not to pay flat fees of GHC10.00 per annum because the fees had been categorised ranging between GH¢10.00 and GH¢20.00 yearly depending on their trades.
The Public Affairs Manager, however, said STMA would meet with the ASSI members to deliberate on the issues thoroughly.
Source: GNA