Members the Jato Manuli Co-operative Distillers and Retailers Society, producers of locally distilled gin popularly known as “akpeteshie,” have poured onto the streets of Suhum to demonstrate against the Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District Assembly, to register their protest over what they describe as unreasonable distillers tax.

According to the group, although the Assembly needs money through the payment of taxes to execute its developmental projects, it would be prudent as well, for the former to be reasonable in coming out with taxes that would favour business people in the district.
Even though they had indicated their readiness to pay taxes for the development of the area, the group argued that the skyrocketing increase of the annual distillers tax, from GH¢7 to GH¢36, almost over 500 percent, was uncalled for.

According to the Vice Chairman of t he group, W.K. Ntow, the situation, if not addressed immediately, would push the group out of business, since they were already over-burdened by other taxes.

Mr. Ntow hinted that severe petitions and desperate pleas by the society to the Assembly to consider reducing the tax, have hit a snag.
They have therefore, made their intentions clear to subject any person or revenue collector who comes to them for the aforementioned tax to severe beatings, if the Assembly refuse to consider their petition to pay GH¢14 instead of GH¢36.

Responding to the allegations and threats of the group, the District Coordinating Director and the Chairman for Finance and Administration Sub-committee of the Assembly, Mr. James Asante-Baffoe, and L. E. K Ankuvie respectively, described the action of the group as unfortunate, and uncalled for.
“We don’t understand what informed the group to demonstrate against the Assembly, because we have held a series of dialogue meetings with them, before arriving at the figure.”

According to the officers, the Assembly depends on the wings of business people in the district to execute its developmental agenda, hence, would not embark on untold policies that would push business people out of operation.“The Assembly cannot execute its developmental projects without the support of business people, without them the Assembly can’t operate, since the Assembly needs money to run its activities,” they noted.

Explaining what informed the Assembly to arrive at the said fees, they indicate that for the past five years, the rate and fees had not been revised, making it difficult for the Assembly to raise money for its development.

That notwithstanding, they stressed that the fees were fixed, not only by the committee, but with the consultation of management, the executive committee, and the general assembly, hence, the reduction of the fees could not be done without the input of the aforementioned elements.
They continued that even though the Assembly would not stage any war against the group if they wanted to fight revenue collectors, the Assembly would not hesitate to allow the law to take its course, if they try to mar the peace of the area.

Source: The chronicle