Involve business associations in fee fixing – assemblies urged

Mr Kwasi Afriyie Badu, Executive Officer of KAB Governance Consult, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has called on the assemblies to regard business associations as partners in development and involve them in fixing fees, payable by businesses.
Mr Afriyie Badu said in sharing the vision and development programmes with business associations and Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs (SMEs), a better understanding would be created to enhance easy collection of fees.
The KAB Executive Officer made the call, when he presented a report on findings and recommendations on a survey conducted by the NGO on behalf of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) and Business Sector Advocacy (BSAC) to the management of the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District Assembly at Dunkwa.
The survey formed part of a project known as 'Using the Media to Strengthen Business Advocacy” launched by the GJA in February 2008, to assist the assemblies to promote businesses to enhance the living standards of the people.
The survey, which was also conducted in Accra metropolitan, Dangme West, Cape Coast, Sekondi-Takoradi, Ahanta West, Kumasi Metropolitan and Bosomtwe District, was based on complains of multiple taxation imposed on SMEs and business association when the assemblies fixed fees.
The report recommended that the assemblies should ensure that fee fixing resolutions were gazetted before effecting collection of fees.
It urged the assemblies to explore ways of disseminating new fees and rates to the business community and also assembly members should be encouraged to explain policies of the assemblies to their people.
It recommended to the assemblies to seek the support of the National Board of Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), Business Advisory Committees (BAC), Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF) and Rural Enterprise Project (REP) to establish database on business association and other rate payers.
Mr Bright Blewu, GJA General Secretary said the association was not only concerned with dissemination of news but also promotion of the welfare of the people hence the creation of Using the Media to Strengthen Business Advocacy Project.
He appealed to the assemblies and entrepreneurs to support the GJA to make the project a success.
Mr Job Acquah Markin, Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District Chief Executive commended GJA and its partners for presenting the report and assured that the assembly would implement the recommendations.