Ghana: Ike Quartey Cries Foul

Accra — THE FORMER WBC World Welterweight Champion, Ike 'Bazooka' Quartey is crying foul following the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning's failure to grant him tax exemption to clear his 18 container consignment for his multi-million dollar hospital in Gbawe in Accra.

Quartey told the press yesterday at the hospital site that his several attempts to seek government assistance to clear the building materials had proved futile. He indicated that his meeting with the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr. Kwadwo Baah Wiredu to offer a shoulder to lean on did not produce the desired results. "Mr. Baah Wiredu told me in the face that the government has no help to offer Ike because the materials does not qualify for tax exemption," he said. What the former world champion is crying for, is for government to refund an 850 million cedis he paid to clear some medical equipment some few years ago which qualifies for tax exemption to clear the building materials. "For now, five containers of the building materials have arrived at the port and my cry for tax exemption is not that I cannot foot the port bills, but I think the money I paid for the tax exempted medical equipment should be refunded," he added. The Bazooka man, who is gearing up to stand as an independent candidate in the 2012 presidential elections, pointed out that, ' I think the government's attitude regarding the issue is enough to discourage up and coming sportsmen and women to sit on the fence in terms of contributing their quotas to national development. The hospital, which will be known as Ike Quartey's Specialists Hospital, is expected to be completed in August this year

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