Traders in the Tamale Central Market are up in arms with the authorities of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly for imposing high levies on them without any justification.
The Assembly “without any consultation” has astronomically adjusted the market levy from the original GHp70 to GH¢3.00 a day. But the aggrieved traders insist that the fee was highly unreasonable and that they would do everything possible to ensure that it was reversed or unanimously agreed upon by both the traders and the city authorities.
The Chairman of the Tamale Central Market Union, Mr. Laminu Kasim told Savannahnews that if by August 29, 2011 the authorities of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly did not rescind their decision or follow the laid down procedure by way of soliciting their collective views, they would strongly hit the streets or vacate the market indefinitely.
According to him, even though the traders were aware of their tax obligations and were always predicting some kind of increment in the future, they were fiercely resisting the current adjustment basically because the Assembly within the last 30 years had completely failed to properly utilize the levies they collect from the traders.
He indicated that the Tamale Central Market was currently sitting on time bomb since it was highly prone to fire outbreak due to the numerous illegal tapping of electricity by most of the traders.
“We have told the Assembly to negotiate with VRA to provide electricity polls within the market to enable the traders do proper connection, but nothing has been done about that and because of that the traders are left with no other option than to tap electricity from their neighbours in the market. It is a very dangerous thing and all of us are afraid but what can you do? the Chairman asked.
Mr. Kasim bemoaned that any incident of fire outbreak in any part of the market would cause a very devastating situation, because fire tenders would not be able to access the market as a result of congestions and poor construction of the place.
Savannahnews gathered that almost all the structures or stores in the market were put up by individual traders but they pay levies on them to the assembly.
Sanitation situation in the Tamale Central Market is indeed not pleasant and the traders alleged that the assembly had refused to employ sweepers to manage waste in the market, in spite of the taxes they pay.
They complained about the lack of toilet facilities in the market and how filth that had engulfed the place especially in this raining season was driving their customers away.
Some of the aggrieved traders including, Madam Joyce Boateng a.k.a. Ataa Maame, Madam Safura Osman and Alhaji Musah Amadu also complained about the refusal by the Assembly to provide security lights in the market to drive away thieves, wee smokers, prostitutes and other criminals who had turned the market into their haven at nights.
They hinted that some traders who accidentally returned from their trips at mid-nights and tried to off load their goods sometimes ended up being victimized or robbed by those criminals.
At the moment, the traders have reported the matter to the Chief of Tamale, Naa Dakpema Mohammed Alhassan Dawuni to prevail on the city authorities to reverse their decision to increase the market levy from GHp70 to GH¢3.00 a day.
It is being rumoured that the Chief had ordered the traders not to make any payment to any tax collector until they come to consensus with the assembly.
As a result, the assembly is said to have also refused a meeting summoned by the Chief to mediate between the traders and the city authorities.
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