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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is not against taxation, General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia has said.

Speaking at a forum organised by the biggest opposition party on the 2022 budget, which the NDC calls ‘Awudie Budget’, Mr Asiedu Nketia said: “Since we started attacking this budget, there’s been a misconception that NDC is against taxation and the propaganda has gone on to even indicate that we are nation wreckers: if we are not supporting taxation, how else do we intend to develop this nation?”

“I want to let everybody know that NDC is not against taxation. Indeed, our philosophy is based on taxation”, he told the forum, adding: “We believe in redistributive justice and taxation is a means of achieving redistribution of wealth in the country”.

He explained: “Our philosophy is hinged on the belief that once we have come together to live in one society … we believe that there must be taxation and our principle of taxation is: each according to his means”.

“So, those who have bigger means will pay more than those who don’t have”, he noted.

“So, while we are supportive of taxation, we are very conscious about what type of taxation and how that taxation is implemented”, he clarified.

“So, I want to debunk the assertion that NDC is against taxation”, noting: “In fact, when we come back to power, we’ll continue to use taxation but we’ll use taxation in a manner that we’ll achieve the objectives that we have set onto ourselves”.

Speaking specifically about the proposed 1.75% E-levy in the budget, which has generated heated debate between the Majority and Minority caucuses on the floor of parliament, Mr Asiedu Nketia said: “We believe that the MoMo tax in this budget is not going to help Ghanaians, particularly the vulnerable ones to bear the problems that have been brought about by this COVID which the government has touted all along in the budget presentation”.

“We believe that it is rather going to burden the vulnerable ones who must be entitled to some protection in this time of difficulty”.

Again, he added, “apart from the means of taxation, we are also very conscious about what we use the proceeds of taxation for”.

He also noted that the party is not against loans.

“NDC is not against taking loans or grants but we believe that loans must be used for investment which investment will generate proceeds with which you can repay the loans”. 

“You take loans for consumption then you are pushing today’s burden onto future generations. You are consuming today so that your children and grandchildren will be paying the cost. We think that that type of loans will be injuries to our country and injurious to the future generations of this country”.