The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on the Akufo-Addo led government to tax the right sources and leave the ordinary Ghanaian alone.
According to the National Youth Organizer of the party, George Opare Addo, the government has a penchant for burdening the suffering masses with taxes rather than those who continue to rake in huge profits.
Speaking at a press conference held at the party’s Adabraka headquarters on Monday, February 7, 2022, Mr Opare Addo questioned the rationale behind the government’s refusal to tax financial and insurance institutions.
“Financial institutions were taxed 5% of their tax before profit. The then finance minister owned a bank and an insurance company but agreed for financial institutions to be taxed.”
Explaining further, he added that the Finance Minister’s refusal is due to his affiliation with the Enterprise group. He also stressed that government could raise the E-levy revenue from Enterprise group if they were taxed based on the profit made from government transactions in the last five years.
“Why is Ken Ofori Atta refusing to tax financial institutions and insurance companies because his Enterprise group is making so much from the state and the amount of money it has made in the last five years from government transactions is enough to take care of the 6 billion, they are seeking to raise from the e-levy.”
Mr Opare Addo further stressed that the NDC is not against taxation rather, they are only advising that government should tax financial institutions because they are making abnormal profits.
“The NDC is not against taxation all we’re saying is that financial institutions are making abnormal profits.”
“If he wants innovation, the NDC has an array of ideas to supply them. Tax the right sources. Don’t tax the poor Ghanaian who is already suffering at your peril.”