Kumasi authorities respond to small businesses' concerns on new fees

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly has directed traders who are unhappy with its new licence fees to channel their concerns to the office of the Metropolitan Chief Executive.

Small business operators in the metropolis have been resisting the implementation of new license fees by the Metropolitan Assembly.

The quarterly hawking license has been increased from 50 pesewas to three Ghana cedis, in addition to a daily toll of twenty pesewas.

Store licence has also been raised from 18 to 150 Ghana cedis per annum.

As petty traders register their protest against the ‘hiking of hawkers licensing fee’, the Kumasi Metropolitan Traders’ Union wants the KMA to withdraw the new store and wholesale license fees, which have been increased by over 800 percent.

Leaders of the groups claim they were not consulted and want the KMA to consider reviewing the percentage increases.

In an interview with Luv FM, the Public Relations Officer at the office of the City Mayor, Clement Kigeri, acknowledged receiving a number of petitions from various aggrieved trader groups.

He said the assembly is currently soliciting inputs from the traders in its quest to review the rates to as he puts it ‘reflect the needs of the time’.

Mr. Kigeri said “implementation is in progress but when they bring their concerns we would look at the areas raised and find out whether those concerns are genuine and as stakeholders, we will be able to reason with them”.

He however believes the KMA has been charging the lowest rates for the past five years, compared to other metro assemblies. He therefore entreated the traders to see the upward adjustments in line with the long years of withholding the increases.

by Kofi Adu Domfeh