Akyawkrom (Ash), April 23, GNA - Forty (40) members of the Woodworke= rs Association of Ghana (WAG) in Ashanti, who benefited from the Government'= s Macro Finance and Small Loans Scheme (MASLOC) have refused to pay back th= e loan.

Out of the total of GH¢16,000.00 they received in 2007, GH¢15,00= 3.00 is still outstanding.

Mr Kwame Bour, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Association of the Small-Scale Industries (ASSI), said efforts at retrieving the money had n= ot been successful. He warned of legal action against the defaulters if they continued t= o be recalcitrant. Mr Buor was speaking during the election of new regional WAG officer= s at Akyawkrom in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality on Thursday. The loans were expected to have been repaid within a period of one year. Mr Bour said the scheme was set up as a revolving fund to support th= e wood workers to expand their businesses and that it was not a gift. The Chairman said ASSI was working closely with the National Board f= or Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI) to build the capacity of WAG members. Nana Amono Atrue I, National Organizer, spoke of the need to acquire=

more land for afforestation.

He advised them to meet their tax obligations to help the nation rai= se more revenue for development. Mr Kwadwo Twumasi was elected the new Regional Chairman, with Justic= e Effah, as his Vice, Theophilus Kpegah, Secretary, and Emmanuel Kwadwo Log= ah, Treasurer.