BOG urged to grant tax relief to agric. investors

Twifo-Praso (C/R), Dec. 28, GNA - A trade unionist on Saturday appealed to the Bank of Ghana (BOG) to consider granting special tax dispensation to investors who would wish to invest in agricultural sector.

Mr Samuel Kangah, Secretary of the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) of the TUC made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Ntafrewaso, near Twifo-Praso.

He said even though GAWU appreciates the reduction in interest rates on bank loans for investors, "we still think that the interest rates for agriculture investment is still high and should be reduced". Mr Kangah said the government of Ghana played a major role in the millennium development summit and since one of its principal goals was food security, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture should be renamed "Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security" to impact positively on the country's food security policies.

He also suggested that the Council for Science and Industrial Research be directly placed under the President's office to facilitate the removal of all impediments that hamper its effectiveness.