The Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has taken on the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over its opposition to new levies.
According to him, the government is sensitive to the plight of Ghanaians but the impact of the covid-19 pandemic has called for these new taxes to alleviate hardship.
“We are mindful of the position of the citizenry, one that we know is difficult. But under these circumstances what will be the NDC’s solution, whose inclination will be tax for government revenue? What will be their response?
“We need to have the NDC tell us what their response will be. The government hears what citizens are talking about, the NPP naturally will not apply this tax under any circumstance. They are the taxers, we use tax as a means to stimulate production,” he said on Accra-based Citi FM.
Mr Ahiagbah made these remarks in connection with the fierce resistance against the Emissions levy and Value Added Tax (VAT) on electricity.
He has therefore asked the NDC to provide alternative solutions to address the problems Ghana is faced with.
“What will be the NDC’s response, given the problems that we are in because knowing their disposition as social democrats, their tax orientation will be different from ours. We will impose fewer taxes but, by their socialization, they will introduce more taxes. So between us [NPP] and them [NDC], there’s differentiation.
“The NPP is a liberal-conservative political party; our disposition is not to increase taxes, but the difficulty in which we have found ourselves [compels us to do otherwise],” he added.
He continued, “We are taking these medicines not because we are healthy. These are not preventive medicines; these are curable medicines we are taking as a country to be able to heal ourselves from the impact of the disease that we are suffering, in this case, COVID-19.”
Meanwhile, the government has announced plans to withdraw the 15% VAT on electricity for extensive engagement following threats of an industrial action and demonstration by Organised Labour.
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