Obuasi, Aug. 10, GNA - Ghanaians, especially Value Added Tax (VAT) registered traders have been urged not to sabotage the collection of the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL).

Mr Peter Danso-Kyeremateng, Deputy Ashanti Regional Head of the VAT Service, who made the call, stressed the need for the traders who collect the VAT and the NHIL to ensure that the levy was paid into the National Health Insurance Fund.

Speaking at a day's seminar on the NHIL at Obuasi, which was attended by a cross-section of the people, Mr Danso-Kyeremateng said there were lots of benefits to be derived from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), including the enjoyment of basic health services.

He appealed to opinion leaders, registered traders and assembly members to educate the public to understand, appreciate and to accept the scheme and its accompanying levy.

He announced that very soon the VAT Service would set up an office at Obuasi to facilitate the collection of the levy.

Mr Danso-Kyeremateng gave the assurance that the VAT Service had the capacity to collect the NHIL.

Mr Welbeck Asare-Asamoah, Regional Public Relations Officer of the VAT Service, said the levy would constitute the major source of funding the scheme and therefore placed much responsibility on the Service to expand the public education on the levy.

He announced that the Service would undertake similar seminars at Mampong, Ejura, Konongo and Offinso.

Mr Asare-Asamoah appealed to VAT registered traders to co-operate to ensure the success of the levy collection.

The Second Deputy District Co-ordinating Director, Mr E.Y. Kwarteng, expressed surprise about the poor attendance at the seminar even though letters of invitation had been sent out.