Sunyani, Jan 09, GNA - Sunyani Municipal office of the Department of Cooperative Distilleries Union last year paid 23, 396,150 cedis as tax to the government.

Mr Titus Kwadwo Nyarko, the Manager, told the GNA in an interview that the amount was made up of 3,55,400.00 as income tax, VAT of 6,423,350 cedis and group licence 13,418,800 cedis. He said the credit savings of the union generated 300 million cedis during the year and it supported 400 members with a total of 50.8 million cedis in various ventures.

The union spent 15,440,000 cedis to register 125 members for the National Health Insurance Scheme and paid 250 million cedis in bonuses to members.

Mr Nyarko said the union employed 22 persons in the municipality and appealed to the government to support the cooperative financially to enable it work effectively.

He said it was the priority of the union to negotiate with banking institutions for more funds to help members to expand their businesses to become self-sufficient.