Sunyani (B/A) June 19, GNA- Some traders in Sunyani do not honour their tax obligations and the Municipal Assembly has been found wanting in dealing with the situation.

Mr. Augustine Gyasi, Chief Revenue Superintendent of the Sunyani District Assembly when contacted, expressed worry about the situation. He conceded in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani on Friday that a large number of traders in the municipality did not co-operate with revenue collectors and had been giving excuses for their inability to pay.

The street sellers are supposed to pay 500 cedis daily on their wares but sometimes it took several interventions to get them to pay, the revenue superintendent said.

Mr. Gyasi said the traders also complained that because the Assembly staffs did offer services by sweeping the surroundings, they would also not pay their taxes, he added. The Revenue Superintendent explained: "Payment of taxes is not an optional duty but a legitimate obligation on all persons engaged in commercial activities".

He advised operators of newly introduced "mobile-to-mobile phone" communications centres in the municipality to register their businesses with the Assembly in their own interest.

Mr. Gyasi cautioned that stringent measures would soon be adopted to deal with tax evaders "since people cannot expect development projects when they do not honour their civil responsibility".