Butchers in Kumasi are unwilling to pay government fees for veterinary services at the city’s abattoir. The butchers currently owe the veterinary service about GH¢76,000. This came up when officials of the Ministry of Agriculture appeared before the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament. The sector Minster, Kwesi Ahwoi explained that his outfit was unable to retrieve the money because the butchers scare the fee collectors with knives. In an answer to a question posed by the Deputy Chairman of the PAC as to what efforts were being made to retrieve the money, Mr Ahwoi said, “We are in the process Mr Chairman; we haven’t stopped the discussions and the negotiations with the abattoir company and with the butchers.” The public accounts committee is examining audited accounts of the Ministry of Agriculture for the period between 2007 and 2009.