Kumasi, Jan. 14, GNA - The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), on Thursday said it was ready to receive petitions from traders, who are not happy with its upward review of fees and rates. The traders' resentment is gradually becoming a growing tension in the metropolis since the announcement of the new daily and monthly fees and rates.

The fees and rates were fixed after the adoption of the KMA's 2010 Fee Fixing Resolution on December 23, last year. Daily toll paid to the Assembly by hawkers and traders had gone up to 20Gp from 10Gp, while quarterly rates had shot from 50Gp to GH¢3.00.

The traders, which had vowed to resist the implementation of the new taxes, went on a protest march last Monday. Mr Edward Afari Gyem, the Metropolitan Coordinating Director, in a signed statement to the press on Thursday said the KMA has taken notice of traders' concerns and invited all interested parties to submit their inputs to KMA by January 20, 2010 for consideration. 14 Jan. 10