Mr Kwabena Karikari- Apau, District Chief Executive for Assin has warned akpeteshie distillers against starting bush fires through the careless handling of fire while plying their trade.

Mr Karikari-Appu, who was addressing the annual general meeting of the Assin Fosu Co-operative Distillers Society at the weekend, said about available statistics showed that 75 per cent of bush fires in the district was caused through carelessness on the part of palm wine tappers and distillers.

Mr Karikari-Apau said there was an improved method of tapping that used salt instead of fire and advised members of the society to acquire that skill since it had been proved to yield more and a better quality wine for distilling.

He asked the societies to form group and apply for the poverty alleviation fund to enable them to increase production to meet the high demand.

Mr Emmanuel Nsiah, Assin Fosu District Secretary of the Society, said it paid 100 million cedis to the Internal Revenue Service and 45 million cedis to district assembly as taxes last year.