The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ho, Mr Divine Bosson, has dismissed allegations of harassment and double taxation levelled against him by members of the Ho Central Market Traders Association. The traders claimed in a petition presented to the Volta Regional Minister that they were being harassed and forced to pay extra taxes by the Assembly. They also alleged that the MCE increased the market toll and other charges without consulting them and excluded the Market Queen and her executives from the reconstituted Market Management Committee.
However, in a press briefing in Ho, Mr Bosson refuted these allegations, calling them fabrications meant to tarnish his image. He explained that since assuming office, he discovered revenue leakages in the market and formed the market management committee to address the issue. The MCE maintained that he had never used officers of the National Investigations Bureau, the Police, and foot soldiers to harass the Market Queen and other traders or detain them. He added that the beneficiaries of the leakages were unhappy with his efforts to block the leakages.
According to Mr Bosson, the Assembly could not continue to rely on the Common Fund for development and had to ensure that internal revenues generated by the Assembly were properly collected and used. He assured traders that his outfit would not do anything to negatively impact businesses in the Municipality.
The traders had called for the Minister to intervene and for the President to remove the MCE from office. It is yet to be seen how the Minister will handle the matter, but it is clear that the MCE is committed to ensuring that the market operates in a fair and transparent manner, and that revenue leakages are blocked.