... As They Owe GH¢350m

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has issued an ultimatum to some Telecommunication Companies and State owned institutions to pay over GH¢3, 50,045,500 they owe The Assembly in revenue default.

The telecommunications companies operating in Accra owes the Assembly huge sums of money in default of payment in respect of their Business Operating Permit (BOP) and Property Rate.

A total of about GH¢3, 50,045,500 is recorded by the Finance Directorate of the AMA as being the amount these companies including some State Institutions owe the Assembly.

According to AMA these Telecommunications Companies and State Owned Institutions have failed to honour their part in paying their Business Operating Permit (BOP) and Property Rates .

In a warning press release issued by the Finance Directorate of the Assembly and signed by Mr. Samuel Aryee, Director of Finance, the BOP and Property Rates defaulters are given up to Friday, August 16th, 2013 to pay, cautioning the defaulters to comply with the directive or incur an additional cost of added interest, closure and possible legal action.

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) said, the move it is taking now is a measure to increase its internally generated funds [IGF].

According to the release, all defaulters were issued with notices, but majority of them fail to comply thereby compelling the Assembly to give the final warning after which drastic measures will be taken such as closure of state owned institutions and private companies on Monday, 19th August 2013 to be led by the Mayor of Accra Dr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije.

The move is also an initiative by the Mayor to help the Assembly recover revenue owed them dating back to three years.