Sand, Stone contractors to benefit from BUSAC Fund

Kumasi, Aug. 22, GNA - The Association of Sand and Stone Contractors, a subsidiary of the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU) and Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA), Ashanti, has received 285 million cedis from the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund to support the decentralisation of sand winning permit.

Mr Gabriel Benarkuu, Consultant to the Association on the Fund, announced this at a day's workshop to sensitise members on the use of the fund in Kumasi on Tuesday.

The workshop, attended by over 170 stakeholders in the sand and stone sector was to plan strategies to accelerate the acquisition of operation permit in the Ashanti Region. It was also to engage government to recognise the contribution of sand and stone to the national economy and to promote good business ethics within the informal sector to eliminate barriers disturbing their business.

Mr Benarkuu said 56 million cedis out of the 285 million cedis had been transferred to the Association for the first quarter to sensitise members, traditional rulers and the media to educate the public on the need for the decentralisation of the permit.

The Consultant urged the Association to use the Fund judiciously so that it could benefit from more funds, while also encouraging the donors to support other organisation to benefit from the Fund. Mr Peter Kwame Donkor, Chairman of the Association, observed that there had been delays in the old system of obtaining winning permit because of administrative bureaucracies due to the centralisation of processes in Accra.

He said if the process was decentralised it would enable members to improve on profitability and cash flow with an equal increase in government's tax benefit.

He said the Association had plans to dialogue with the Ministry of Lands and Forestry, the Mines Department, Minerals Commission, Land Valuation Board, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Parliamentary Select Committee on Land Policy and Paramount chiefs in the Region on the issue.

Nana Adjei Kwarteng, Ashanti Regional Chairman and Acting President of the Association expressed his joy that the three organisations had come together to present a common front on the issue and expressed the hope that they would continue the struggle to achieve their aim.