NBSSI slams fees demanded by GNACOPS

The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) says fees being requested by the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) from its members, in respect of the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme Business Support Scheme (CAP BuSS), are wrong and unacceptable.

“NBSSI has not engaged any group, association or individual to discuss, collect or facilitate the collection of any charges on its behalf,” the board said in a statement issued in Accra yesterday.

It said media reports and queries by some applicants indicated that some trade and business associations, including the GNACOPS, were requesting fees from their members in respect of the scheme.

 The statement said in the case of GNACOPS, it was allegedly asking for a four per cent processing fee from its members, out of which three per cent was for the NBSSI.

“The Board has engaged GNACOPS on a number of issues and even queried them about the four per cent charges. We maintain that the charge on GNACOPS members is wrong and unacceptable,” it said.

 “The general public is hereby requested to disregard any claims by GNACOPS that the Board is demanding an extra three per cent fees in respect of the loans being granted under the CAP BuSS from their members,” it said.

The statement cautioned applicants against the payment of fees or charges to any intermediary, be it an association, group or individual, and encouraged them to direct all concerns and questions to the NBSSI Public Relations Unit,
“The public is also encouraged to report any person engaged in this act to the nearest police station,” the statement said.                                                                       
The GH₵1-billion CAP, launched by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on May 19, 2020, is aimed at aiding Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to survive the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their operations.
As of August 27, about 120,000 out of 715,795 applicants had received financial support.

BY TIMES REPORTER