Former President John Mahama, has postulated that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority in Parliament will persistently oppose burdensome taxes in the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government.
“Businesses will end up suffering if Parliament is to approve the numerous burdensome taxes introduced by the government since the economy has been collapsed by President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia,” he alleged.
In the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance announced a 1.75 per cent Electronic Transaction Levy and at least 15 per cent increment in fees and charges on government services, among other taxes.
Former President Mahama maintained that the NDC remained opposed to the imposition of numerous fresh taxes on the citizenry at a time when the government was living large and unwilling to trim expenditure, cut waste and check corruption.
Speaking at the closing session of the 2022 Caucus Retreat by NDC MPs, he urged the government to reduce its expenditure and check corrupt use of funds rather than impose fresh taxes on citizens.
Former President Mahama explained that burdensome taxes would erode business capital, especially at a time when the government had crowded out private sector’s access to credit by its voracious appetite for borrowing.
He noted that the debt crisis, for which there were few tangible projects to show for, and worsening economic hardships of Ghanaians amply demonstrated negative impact of collapsed economy.
The former president commended the NDC lawmakers for holding the government accountable and insisted that they had done well in doing that, adding that “it is a good session as you prepare to resume sittings, and after a year in which you demonstrated your commitment, dedication and determination to pushing desires and interests of your constituents and Ghanaians generally in the House.
“Our MPs and the leadership have done well in holding government accountable and on behalf of the general membership of NDC, I express our appreciation to you, it is important for our MPs and leadership to always remember they are representing the people and are also in the House to represent NDC,” former President Mahama intimated. -3news.com
