Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, on Friday called on artisans at Suame Magazine in Kumasi to exercise maximum restraint while a permanent solution was being sought to their problems.

He said the Magazine was dear to his heart and that he would not allow the association to be torn apart but would assist them to obtain loans to assembly vehicles locally.

Boafo was speaking at a meeting with the artisans in Kumasi following a 24-hour ultimatum given by the Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, to close down the secretariat of the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana National Association of Garages (GNAG).

Jumah at the meeting with the GNAG on Wednesday said an interim management committee had been put in place to oversee elections to be conducted to pick executives for the GNAG to bring peace and sanity at the Magazine.

Jumah said an audit committee from the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly would be set up to audit the finances of the Association.

The ultimatum of the MCE did not go down well with the artisans. They therefore petitioned the Regional Minister over the issue.

The artisans maintained that there was no rift at the Magazine to warrant the harsh decision of the Metropolitan Chief Executive.

The Regional Minister assured the artisans that their petition would be sent to the appropriate quarters for permanent solution.