Kumasi, April 8, GNA - Mr Kofi Opoku-Manu, Ashanti Regional Minister, has tasked the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly to re-visit at its next meeting, the draft rates on Business Operating Permits (BOPs). This, he said, had become necessary because some of the draft rates prepared by the Assembly on BOPs for approval had mistakenly found their way to some quarters in the form of demand notices. Mr Opoku-Manu was interacting with the Media in Kumasi on Tuesday. In a bid to improve upon revenue mobilization, management held series of meetings in the latter part of last year to prepare draft rates on BOPs for approval by the Assembly.

The Minister said the rationale was to harmonize the collection of data on businesses in the metropolis and to generate data on revenues from businesses to know their contribution to the local economy. Mr Opoku-Manu expressed worry that some of those drafts in the form of demand notices had "found their way to wrong quarters and institutions" and said efforts should be made to ratify the anomaly. He commended the Government for coming out with nominations for the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, noting that their approval by the Assemblies would go a long way to accelerate the nation's development. 08 April 09