AMA to prosecute rate defaulters

Accra, June 19, GNA - The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) said on Thursday that it was to embark on "massive prosecution" of property owners and rate payers who had defaulted in payment of 2007 demand notices.

"The AMA takes strong exception to the non-payment of these rates after several warnings and will go all out to prosecute such defaulters without fear or favour," it said in a statement signed by Mr Frank Asante, Head of Public Affairs for AMA. AMA said payment of such money would help it to pay its debt to waste contractors in the Metropolis to ensure clean environment. It is common knowledge that the assembly owed the contractors an amount of GH¢ 12.5 million, AMA said, adding that, it had no means of generating revenue to undertake its mandated functions of development and services except to collect rates and fees from residents in the metropolis.

"The recent sanitation crisis would have been avoided had the assembly had enough resources to pay waste contractors. Property owners and rate payers should help the AMA to enable it to provide quality services to residents." AMA said it would publish the list of all defaulters in the newspapers in two weeks and follow it up with prosecution. 19 June 08