Traders irritated about duplicated levies

Traders at the Tema Station Bus Terminal at Accra are angry about the duplicated tolls they are forced to pay at the station.

The traders, who preferred to remain anonymous, said different institutions have levied tolls on them that were suppose to be meant for the same purpose.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, a trader said though the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) charges them for GH p 50, another toll of GH? 1.00 is levied on them by the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) for cleaning the bus terminal.

She said, “If the AMA is charging us for using this place, it should also be their responsibility to clean it up. Why do we have to pay more to another body to perform the same duties for which we have paid the AMA?”

Another trader said though they are paying the levies to GPRTU the bus terminal is still not tidy enough to justify the payments.

“Sales are not good this time of the year, I can make only GH?60.00 in two weeks yet I am expected to pay GH?1.50 every day. It is difficult to survive in these conditions,” says another trader.

In a response to the concerns raised by the traders, Mr William Ocquaye, the local Chairman of GPRTU said it is necessary to charge the traders the GH?1.00 as that is used to clean up the station since AMA is not caring out its duties.

He said the GPRTU has engaged the services of janitors and the union also pays for the lifting of the refuse at least three times in a week.

He said GH?300.00 is mobilised daily from the traders and the money is disbursed to pay for the services of the janitors as well as the lifting of the refuse at the cost of GH?800.00.