<<Print>>

Mr. Kumi Tutu Amankwah, the Managing Director of Excelprint Limited, on Wednesday called for a check on �the practice by government to award contracts to only party faithful.� �I�m not attempting to sound political but I want to remain as objective as possible as far as my business is concerned�, he said. Mr Amankwah alleged that he won a contract with the Regional Hospital in Sunyani to print folders but after some time the hospital�s authorities told him that the Ministry of Health had ordered that the contract be terminated and be re-awarded to a member of the National Democratic congress (NDC). �How do we create jobs when these same jobs are taken from us and given to another person on the basis of belonging to the ruling party�, he said in an interview with the GNA. Mr. Amankwah spoke about challenges facing the print industry, particularly in the Brong-Ahafo Region. He mentioned them as high taxes on printing materials and equipment, bureaucratic and cumbersome procedures at the ports, unavailability of capital and loans at affordable interest rates. �Now collateral is not available any longer and when you want to use your machines/equipment as guarantees for loans, it is not accepted. The banks rather prefer landed properties like buildings or houses as guarantees for collateral security without which you can�t receive any overdraft or loan facility. For instance the National Investment Bank (NIB) took my car documents but never gave me any loan�, he alleged. Mr Amankwah appealed to both private developers and the government to help establish training institutions in the region to train qualified personnel for the graphic and arts industry to enable them to compete with their counterparts in Accra.�So how can we compete favourably with those in Accra when there are no facilities to train people for the industry in Brong�Ahafo Region?� he asked.