Artisan fees imposed by the Atwima-Mponua District have gone up by over 100 percent and this has stirred outrage and unease among the various trade and vocational associations in the area.

They insist they are being over-taxed and that this could only worsen their situation amidst the not too favourable general economic environment. They have therefore called on the district assembly to act without hesitation to review the fees downward to give them some reprieve.

Mr Kofi Asare, the Nyinahin Zonal Chairman of the Ghana National Tailors and Dressmakers Association (GNTDA), told the GNA that it was quite odd that the assembly fixed the rates without recourse to stakeholder consultations.

He said they were finding it difficult to understand the basis for the increase to GH¢58.00 from GH¢20.00 and if added to the income tax they pay every three months to the Domestic Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, they would be hard hit.

The GNA had visited the district under STAR-Ghana’s media auditing and tracking of development projects, an initiative launched to put a spotlight on how government resources were helping to transform the lives of the people, particularly the rural population.

The goal is to aid transparency, promote accountability and good governance. Mr Asare said business activities had slowed down because of the faltering economy and that the assembly should not make “an already bad situation, worse” through the sharp rise in rates and levies.

He said the expectation was that it would rather focus actions on helping the businesses to grow and expand to provide job openings for the youth. Mr Asare said it would not be out of place for the assembly to support them with industrial machines and other equipment on credit basis to enhance viability of their enterprises.

Mr Asare also appealed to the Rural Enterprises Project (REP) and the Business Advisory Centre (BAC) of the National Board for Small Scale Enterprises (NBSSI) to step up efforts at assisting them to achieve optimal performance.