News:
September 4, 2024
Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson has pointed out in his remarks at the emergency two days recall of Ghana’s Parliament that their position to kick against tax waivers being granted to companies has not changed.
According to him barely ninety four days (94) to the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections, the Majority NPP has recalled the House to enable them fast-track the rail-road tax giveaways to their crony businesses.
“We have always maintained that these tax exemptions are not in the best interest of the tax payer and our position has always been that until these exemptions are converted to tax credit or linked to equity shares as stipulated in the Tax Exemptions Act, we will not support giving away over $350 million to crony businesses in an opaque and nontransparent manner.
“Rt. Hon Speaker, giving away inordinate tax exemptions is not an urgent issue that should warrant a recall of this House. Ghana’s economy is still bleeding, cost of living continues to be high, and Ghanaians can simply not make ends meet. These are the real bread and butter issues that should concern any serious government and not the giveaway of much-needed tax revenue”, the Minority Leader stated.
The Minority Leader further pointed out that, COCOBOD has been shut out from borrowing from international banks, the International Banks are running away from Ghana COCOBOD and the cocoa sector is on its knees. Rt. Hon Speaker, the prevailing price of cocoa on the world market and the exchange rate means that COCOBOD will be selling a bag of cocoa at GHS9, 700. The cocoa farmer cannot be paid anything less than GHS6, 000 per bag. The payment of GHS6, 000 per bag of cocoa is critical because cocoa farmers deserve the benefit of their hard labour.
Again, the Electoral Commission has admitted that the Voter Register is riddled with irregularities and flaws and I dare say that the scale of these irregularities is such that somebody may have tempered with the Voter Register database.
“I am sorry Mr. Speaker; we cannot vouch for the integrity of the Voters Register as it stands and the details of the irregularities are so fertile and cannot be accepted. We therefore demand a forensic audit into the Voters Register database”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com