New Juaben Assembly hauls property rate defaulters

The New Juaben Municipal Assembly has dragged forty-two individuals and corporate entities before a Magistrates' court in a bid to claim over GH¢50,000 in property rates. The Assembly has been unable to meet its revenue targets in recent times despite soaring expenditure although some single defaulters owe it more than GH¢6,000. Eleven such defaulters appeared before the Koforidua Magistrates' Court 'A' presided over by Mr Sulemana Musah on Monday and were ordered to pay the various sums owed the assembly, in addition to the administrative costs incurred by the assembly in initiating the case. A supplementary prosecution list would also ensure the court taking action against the other defaulters before the end of the year to recoup all monies owed the assembly. Speaking to the GNA at Koforidua over the action, the Municipal Coordinating Director, Mr S.K. Offei, said the assembly was forced to initiate the action because overtures made by the assembly to the defaulters had been ignored Mr Offei warned of further actions should the defaulters renegade on the court's orders, saying, the assembly needs all the resources it could muster for its development projects. Earlier this month, the Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Adjei Boateng, had complained about low returns into the assembly coffers owing to the failure of residents to pay the rates and other taxes promptly. He said the Eastern Regional capital is one of the fastest growing urban communities, and the growth of new suburbs has put a severe strain on the assembly's resources.