Regional News of Monday, 12 January 2004

Source: GNA

Adum traders call for uniform VAT on their returns

Kumasi, Jan. 12, GNA- Members of the Adum Traders Union (ATU) have appealed to the Value Added Tax (VAT) secretariat to provide them with a uniform VAT on their annual turnover as it is being done to transport owners by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

They said presently, the practice where members were being made to present their returns to the VAT offices every month, was discouraging some of them from paying their VAT promptly.

Mr Kwaku Nketiah, President of the Union, made the appeal at the end-of-year get-together of the union in Kumasi on Sunday. He said the union had initiated programmes to educate their members on the need to honour their tax obligations to the state, adding that, the union would support the payment of taxes to ensure speedy development of the nation.

Mr Nketiah said the union had provided sanitary tools such as wheelbarrows, shovels, dustbins and sweeping brushes to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to help in cleaning the city. He appealed to the KMA to mount vigorous education campaign on local FM stations to promote good environmental practices in the Kumasi metropolis.

Mr Maxwell Kofi Jumah, KMA Chief Executive, said the introduction of the towing system in the central business district was not to destroy business in the area, but rather to decongest traffic and boost business activities.

He urged the association to initiate measures to find a venue to park their vehicles so that customers who came to do business in the area could get parking places for their vehicles.

Mr Jumah pledged the support of the assembly to boost business in the metropolis and called on members to assist the security agencies to curb criminal activities in the metropolis.