Accra, (Greater Accra) 5 Nov., The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) today began an exercise to close down shops which have defaulted in the payment of this year's Business Operational Permit (BOP). Two shops, Dipsons Enterprises Limited and Shark Electrical Enterprise were closed down for non-payment of their permits. Mr. George Attiogbe, Research Accountant of AMA and Co-ordinator for the Revenue Task Force, Ashiedu Keteke sub-metro, said the bye- laws of the assembly require that any business that operates within the metropolis should receive a permit of operation valid from January One to December 31. He said AMA has sometime now, carried out a public educational campaign for shop owners on the need to pay their permits. 'Section eight, sub-section two of the bye-law states that shops which have defaulted must be closed down or their activities suspended until the permit is paid''. The minimum fee is 35,000 cedis while the maximum is 500,000 cedis. Mr. Elliot Adom, Public Relations Manager of AMA, said the exercise is not a witch-hunt or politically motivated. ''Instead it is an administrative measure to generate revenue to clear the mounted garbage in some parts of the capital as a result of population influx''. To be able to achieve this, he said, his outfit needs about 40 to 50 trucks to clear the city of the filth.