The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has issued an ultimatum to a former Black Stars player, Samuel Osei Kuffour, to pay the property rate in respect of a house he owns on the Ring Road in Accra or risk having the property sold to defray the debt.
He has been given up to October 19, 2015 to settle the debt of GHȻ15,460, failure of which would compel the AMA to apply to the court for an order for the sale of the property, in accordance with sections 104 and 106 of the Local Government Act 1993, Act 482.
At the time Graphic Online visited the premises, a final warning notice had been posted on the seven-storey Abena Ateaa Towers which houses the Academic City College, formerly known as Sikkim Manipal University, and the Ring Road branch of the Access Bank.
Notice
The notice, signed by the treasurer of the AMA, stated: “In spite of a previous warning notice to you, it appears from our records that an amount of GHc15,460 is still owed by you in respect of House No C9614 for the 2015 year of assessment.
“Take notice that if the arrears are not paid on or before the 19th day of October, 2015, the Metro Assembly may apply to the court for an order for the sale of the premises by way of motion for the purpose of defraying the amount of rate due, pursuant to sections 104 & 106 of the Local Government Act 1993, Act 482, without any further reference to you.”
The notice, copied to the AMA Chief Executive, the Metro Co-ordinating Director, the budget officer and the metropolitan solicitor, urged Mr Kuffour to avail himself of the opportunity to settle the outstanding arrears.
Reaction
Mr Kuffour’s reaction was rather hostile when the Graphic Online contacted him for his response to the matter.
My friend, I am in the middle of a meeting and cannot talk to you, he said in Twi when this reporter called him on phone and asked about the notice on his property.
Efforts to get him to speak further proved futile, as he suddenly hung up.
AMA Chief Executive
In a rather rude manner, the AMA Chief Executive, Mr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, told this reporter on phone: “Look, I am not interested in this story and so I have nothing to tell.”
He said getting people to pay their property rates was an usual activity the AMA carried out, asking: “What is so special about this particular matter? Is it because it has to do with Sammy Kuffour?”
“I am not responding to anything from you. Bye-bye,” he added.
Property rate
Property tax in Ghana, also known as property rate, is administered by the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) on the estimated value of a property, depending on the classification of the area where the property is located.
It is the amount the MMDAs charge on a property each year, being the product of the value of a property collected annually under the auspices of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
When Graphic Online reached the Rector of the Academic City College, Dr Abhishek Tyagi, to enquire what steps he had taken following the posted notice on the property, he said he had sent copies of the notice to Mr Kuffour and expressed the hope that the matter would be resolved soon.
he seven-storey Abena Ateaa Towers located on the Ring Road in Accra
