The Alliance for Accountable Governance, (AFAG) has threatened that it will adopt all democratic means including demonstrating should the NDC government fail to abolish and review taxes downwards as promised in its manifesto.
In a Press conference on Wednesday, December 16, Mr. Samuel Awuku, a leading member of the group emphasized that the NDC government under President Mills has made life unbearable for the people of Ghana.
�Why must the poor tax payer, with an already eroded purchasing power, be made to pay for these profligate governmental spending through the imposition of such huge taxes?� He queried.
According to him, AFAG finds it necessary to comment on these issues on behalf of the silent majority of people in the country. He says, after thoroughly reviewing the 2010 budget and expected economic programmes to be implemented by government, it can predict that enormous hardship would be inflicted on Ghanaians.
Mr. Awuku also highlighted a number of activities undertaken by the government which he refers to as misplaced priorities. He said that the Professor Mills� led government has been characterized by growth in hardship and stability in poverty and hunger.
�The underpinning theme in this year�s budget is �growth and stability�. However, one can foresee growth in hardship and stability in poverty and hunger�.we are worried that whilst the government could not honour its promise in delivering free uniforms to school kids, the NDC government could spend 1.5 million cedis (15 billion old Ghana cedis) on a 24 hour trip by the U.S president to Ghana whilst members of the national youth employment programme have not been paid for three months,� He said.
Mr. Awuku added that the ordinary Ghanaian is being unduly overburdened to pay for these profligate spending by government through the imposition of huge taxes on goods and services.
�...the tax imposition on rice has been increased by 500%, tax on beer by 120%, Guinness stout 110%, for our own �ogoglo� or akpeteshie has been increased by 40%, taxes on wheat 500%, sugar 500% and my favourite heavy do and Asanka local chop bar will have to make payment of 500 Ghana cedi yearly,� he said.
<<Print>>