General Secretary of the largest opposition National Democratci Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has asked the Akufo-Addo led government to absorb the Communication and Petroleum taxes too in this coronavirus crisis period.
Commending government for providing free water in this crisis period, he added that it will be more appropriate if the Communication and Petroleum taxes are also taken care of by the government to mitigate the hardship of the masses.
Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' program, he explained that this is the time the majority of Ghanaians need to feel the social intervention programs of the ruling government.
"We all agree that we are not in normal times, but this the time government can intervene and ensure that those who are hard hit by this coronavirus stress will also enjoy some sort of freedom," he stressed.
He said the sharing of food isn’t a bad initiative but how many people are going to benefit.
But he emphasized that when the government reduces and absorb the Communication and Petroleum taxes businesses and individuals would be cushioned to a larger extent.
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Govt absorbs Water bill
Again, the Ghana Water Company Ltd and the Electricity Company of Ghana have been directed to ensure the stable supply of water and electricity during this period. In addition, there will be no disconnection of supply. Furthermore, Government will absorb the water bills for all Ghanaians for the next three months, i.e. April, May, and June. All water tankers, publicly and privately-owned, are also going to be mobilized to ensure the supply of water to all vulnerable communities.
Government, in collaboration with the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), Business & Trade Associations and selected Commercial and Rural Banks, will roll out a soft loan scheme up to a total of six hundred million cedis (GH¢600 million), which will have a one-year moratorium and two-year repayment period for micro, small and medium scale businesses.
Incentives For frontline health workers
Fellow Ghanaians, it is vital that we protect the lives of our frontline health workers, who are risking their lives every day to battle this virus. That is why the Government is placing a high priority on the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPEs) for them. Thus far, three hundred and fifty thousand (350,000) masks, five hundred and fifty-eight thousand, six hundred and fifty (558,650) examination gloves, one thousand (1,000) reusable goggles, twenty thousand (20,000) cover-alls, seven thousand (7,000) N-95 respirators, five hundred (500) waterproof gumboots, two thousand (2,000) reusable face shields, two thousand (2,000) gallons of hand sanitizers, ten thousand (10,000) 100ml pieces of hand sanitizers, and five hundred (500) shoe covers have been sent to the regional health directorates, for onward distribution to the district health directorates for use by our health workers in all the districts. The Minister for Health is ensuring that they reach the health workers. This, notwithstanding, Government is aware that more needs to be done, especially in the face of the global shortage of PPEs.
It is for this reason that Government is actively engaged with local manufacturing companies to assist them in the domestic production of PPEs., and I am encouraged by the response from the Ghanaian private sector. Domestic production of face masks, head covers, surgical scrubs, and gowns will commence from Tuesday. For example, three million, six hundred thousand face masks will be produced domestically, with an output of one hundred and fifty thousand (150,000) per day. I am equally impressed with the invention of a solar-powered handwashing sink by Jude Osei from Kumasi, and the ‘COVID-19 prevention electronic bucket’ made by Kelvin Owusu Dapaah and Richard Boateng, both students of Obuasi Senior High and Technical School. Necessity, indeed, is the mother of invention, as the Ghanaian sense of enterprise and innovation is beginning to be felt.
An insurance package, with an assured sum of three hundred and fifty thousand cedis (GH¢350,000) for each health personnel and allied professional at the forefront of the fight, has been put in place, with a daily allowance of one hundred and fifty cedis (GH¢150) being paid to contact tracers. The government has also decided that all health workers will not pay taxes on their emoluments for the next three months, i.e. April, May, and June. Furthermore, all frontline health workers will receive an additional allowance of fifty percent (50%) of their basic salary per month, i.e. for March, April, May, and June. The March allowance will be paid alongside that of April. The Ministry of Transport is also making available, for free, ‘Aayalolo’ buses to convey health workers in Accra, Tema, Kumasi, and Kasoa to and from work, along specific routes, for the entire duration of the restrictions.
I am happy that operators of public transport, such as trotros and taxis, are largely adhering to the admonition to observe social distancing in their vehicles. Each one of them should do so.
Wa
Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]
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kwasiato if government takes off all these taxes where will it get the money to provide these freebies, you see, ndc does not mean well for this country their wish is to see a worse case scenario so they can use it for their evil propaganda, fuuuuuulish bunch of lazy politicians who does not think out side the box but always try to water down good ideas. enkwasiafour party
General mosquito is 100% right. If the government continues to massage the figures due to anticipated fear, a time will come that the true figures would let the president be unpopular. A common sense approach is better than misinforming the general public. If the minister for information can tell Ghanaians that the country recorded zero case on a particular day which is not possible, how then do you have security personnel enforce lockdown. Does it make sense to the average Ghanaian or the president. Finally the freebies should be eye catching and not an avenue for chop chop like the school feeding program where figures are inflated. if petroleum tax or communication tax is reduced it will affect majority of Ghanaians. I fetch water from bore hole and so free water bill does not affect me but waiving tax on communication or petroleum products will benefit majority of Ghanaians. WHO has told the world that the virus spread is exponential so how come Ghana can record zero case on a particular day. THE PRESIDENT MUST WISE UP AND ANALYZE CRITICALLY AND STOP FOLLOWING THE SYCOPHANTS
Tell us a single social intervention implemented by your us3less party with its incompetentt leader.
Dumsor affected Ghanaians for over three and a half years under John Mahama and your NDC yet,there was not a single month that electricity bills were given free for Ghanaians to enjoy the 'SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS'you are reffering to,you've now waken up from your sleep and have gotten the guts to spill non-senseee here
This from Asiedu Nketia tells it all "if your brain is weak, your decision will definitely be weak"
Aside Nketia, go ahead and do it yourself. The NDc thinks they are still in power. A party whose stronghold are illeterates. Illeterates can be educated for their status to change to elite but not vice versa. NDC is a dying party
This guy, i think old age is affecting his thinking capacity. rubbish
What did NDC do for us when cholera was killing us in 2014? Leave the govt to do its job. We don't need your suggestion. When you guys were in power you cancelled teachers and nurses allowances. We haven't forgotten Today Ford Airbus Mahama is pretending he love our nurses. It is not true, he now needs their votes which he will not get.
I now understand Kennedy Agyapong.When NDC was in opposition Mosquito borrowed money to pay his electricity bills. After producing blocks for the Bui Dam project at high price as a board chairman, you did not save enough this time also to pay for bills?
So are we all trying to ride this storm with minimal damage to the economy or we want to bankrupt it entirely someone from the brigade that thrives on stealing from the largess of state answer me please