CATTLE DEALERS CALL FOR ONE-STOP PAYMENT SYSTEM
CATTLE DEALERS CALL FOR ONE-STOP PAYMENT SYSTEM December 16, 2011
BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM
ISD-BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL
Cattle dealers in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East region have presented a petition to the Upper East regional minister, Mr. Mark Owen Woyongo asking him to use his office to effect positive changes in the cattle business environment in order to enhance the growth and expansion of the cattle trade. One such change is for the regional minister to push for the introduction of a one-stop payment system for the cattle business where cattle dealers will pay for all levies regarding the trade and be issued receipts which will then be tendered at any check point by officials.
This, the cattle dealers believe will spare them numerous unnecessary checks, delays and extortion by some Police and Customs, Excise and Preventive Services, CEPS officers. The dealers first marched through some streets in Bolgatanga with placards some of which read “36 police and CEPS check points, 10 – 30 Ghana Cedis per barrier”, “multiple barriers and taxes kill cattle business” and “30 Ghana Cedis per barrier, are cattle cocaine?”.
The Financial Secretary of the Bolgatanga Cattle Dealers Association [BOCADA], Mr. Adabre Ayambire who presented the petition to the regional minister on behalf of his colleagues disclosed that, 36 barriers made up of 23 police barriers, six CEPS check points and seven MTTU barriers are dotted on the Paga – Kumasi highway. According to him, cattle dealers pay between 10 and 30 Ghana Cedis to unscrupulous police and CEPS officers without any proper documentation.
He noted that unnecessary delays as a result of these numberous barriers cause the animals to become weak affecting their market value while some even die in the process. Meanwhile, the allege extortions by police and CEPS officers also deprives government of revenues for national development.
Mr. Ayambire said these pieces of information came to light during a survey BOCADA conducted between July and September, 2011 with assistance from the Business Advocacy Challenge Fund [BUSAC]. He disclosed over 5000 people in the Upper East region depend on the cattle business for their livelihood while it is estimated that the cattle trade contributes about nine percent of the nation’s agricultural gross domestic product. This therefore, emphasises the urgent need for authorities to intervene for the smooth transaction of the cattle business without any impediments from the police and CEPS.
The Financial Secretary of BOCADA said the survey also revealed that the main sources of cattle include the Kassena-Nankana East and West districts, Bongo, Bulsa, Bawku, West Mamprusi, Bolgatanga Municipality, Talensi-Nabdam and also Burkina Faso. Meanwhile, Accra and Kumasi have become the major markets for the sale of cattle.
Deputy Upper East regional minister, Mrs. Lucy Awuni who received the petition on behalf of the regional minister thanked the cattle dealers for embarking on a peaceful and orderly demonstration and that pledged that the minister will convene a stakeholders meeting with the dealers in attendance the discuss the way forward. She advised the dealers to ensure that they always pay levies and attain all necessary documentation before transporting their stock for sale as this will put them at the right side of the law.
The BUSAC Fund Upper East regional consultant, Mr. Richard Ananga promised that fund will continue to collaborate with businesses and business groupings such as BOCADA to ensure all the obstacles to the smooth conduct of business activities in the country are uprooted. Mr. Ananga disclosed that 19 new projects have been approved by the BUSAC Fund for the Upper East region and that these will be executed judiciously to benefit the growth and expansion of businesses.
BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM
ISD-BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL
Cattle dealers in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East region have presented a petition to the Upper East regional minister, Mr. Mark Owen Woyongo asking him to use his office to effect positive changes in the cattle business environment in order to enhance the growth and expansion of the cattle trade. One such change is for the regional minister to push for the introduction of a one-stop payment system for the cattle business where cattle dealers will pay for all levies regarding the trade and be issued receipts which will then be tendered at any check point by officials.
This, the cattle dealers believe will spare them numerous unnecessary checks, delays and extortion by some Police and Customs, Excise and Preventive Services, CEPS officers. The dealers first marched through some streets in Bolgatanga with placards some of which read “36 police and CEPS check points, 10 – 30 Ghana Cedis per barrier”, “multiple barriers and taxes kill cattle business” and “30 Ghana Cedis per barrier, are cattle cocaine?”.
The Financial Secretary of the Bolgatanga Cattle Dealers Association [BOCADA], Mr. Adabre Ayambire who presented the petition to the regional minister on behalf of his colleagues disclosed that, 36 barriers made up of 23 police barriers, six CEPS check points and seven MTTU barriers are dotted on the Paga – Kumasi highway. According to him, cattle dealers pay between 10 and 30 Ghana Cedis to unscrupulous police and CEPS officers without any proper documentation.
He noted that unnecessary delays as a result of these numberous barriers cause the animals to become weak affecting their market value while some even die in the process. Meanwhile, the allege extortions by police and CEPS officers also deprives government of revenues for national development.
Mr. Ayambire said these pieces of information came to light during a survey BOCADA conducted between July and September, 2011 with assistance from the Business Advocacy Challenge Fund [BUSAC]. He disclosed over 5000 people in the Upper East region depend on the cattle business for their livelihood while it is estimated that the cattle trade contributes about nine percent of the nation’s agricultural gross domestic product. This therefore, emphasises the urgent need for authorities to intervene for the smooth transaction of the cattle business without any impediments from the police and CEPS.
The Financial Secretary of BOCADA said the survey also revealed that the main sources of cattle include the Kassena-Nankana East and West districts, Bongo, Bulsa, Bawku, West Mamprusi, Bolgatanga Municipality, Talensi-Nabdam and also Burkina Faso. Meanwhile, Accra and Kumasi have become the major markets for the sale of cattle.
Deputy Upper East regional minister, Mrs. Lucy Awuni who received the petition on behalf of the regional minister thanked the cattle dealers for embarking on a peaceful and orderly demonstration and that pledged that the minister will convene a stakeholders meeting with the dealers in attendance the discuss the way forward. She advised the dealers to ensure that they always pay levies and attain all necessary documentation before transporting their stock for sale as this will put them at the right side of the law.
The BUSAC Fund Upper East regional consultant, Mr. Richard Ananga promised that fund will continue to collaborate with businesses and business groupings such as BOCADA to ensure all the obstacles to the smooth conduct of business activities in the country are uprooted. Mr. Ananga disclosed that 19 new projects have been approved by the BUSAC Fund for the Upper East region and that these will be executed judiciously to benefit the growth and expansion of businesses.
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