NDC gov’t will struggle to fund social intervention programmes – Afenyo-Markin
"The NDC criticized our tax regime, and my point is, when you criticize the tax regime, you’re in other words suggesting that you will not have any social intervention policy to implement," he stated. "So far, the social intervention programmes they have promised to roll out will come at a cost. My question is, how will they fund it? The NDC has not told us the alternative. If you say you’re going to take out the betting tax and E-Levy, tell us what other sources you’re going to rely on to generate revenue" he said.
The outgoing Majority Leader in Parliament and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, has raised concerns about the sustainability of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government’s promises to implement expansive social intervention programmes while eliminating certain taxes.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Mr Afenyo-Markin compared the NDC’s approach to revenue generation by cutting taxes with that of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, arguing that the NDC has yet to outline a viable plan to replace the revenue loss from their proposed tax cuts.
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“The NDC criticized our tax regime, and my point is, when you criticize the tax regime, you’re in other words suggesting that you will not have any social intervention policy to implement,” he stated. “So far, the social intervention programmes they have promised to roll out will come at a cost. My question is, how will they fund it? The NDC has not told us the alternative. If you say you’re going to take out the betting tax and E-Levy, tell us what other sources you’re going to rely on to generate revenue” he said.
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Mr Afenyo-Markin contrasted the NDC’s promises with the strategic approach outlined by Dr Mahamudu Bawumia during his campaign. He explained that Bawumia’s plan to use the outcomes of digitalisation initiatives to drive revenue growth is a more sustainable alternative.
“In the Dr Bawumia campaign, he said that coming into office, he would roll out a digitalised platform, train our youth, and give them access to technology. Through technology, they would be able to create opportunities for themselves, and businesses would take advantage to expand,” Mr Afenyo-Markin said. “He believes that with this technological drive, the state would gain significantly, and taxes like the betting tax and E-Levy will be removed.”
Afenyo-Markin emphasized the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) track record of delivering on campaign promises, citing programmes like Free SHS, the One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative, and the expansion of the school feeding programme as examples of successful interventions.
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“When we were in opposition, we promised Free SHS, and we came into office and implemented it. We also promised 1D1F as an incentive for the private sector, and we fulfilled that promise. We expanded the school feeding programme, which was limited to a few schools, and rolled it out nationwide,” he said.
According to Afenyo-Markin, the NPP’s approach focuses on generating resources through innovative initiatives like digitalisation, rather than simply criticizing taxes without presenting alternative revenue sources.
“We’ve shown that our promises are tied to practical plans and outcomes. The NDC, on the other hand, needs to show how they will fund their interventions without the taxes they want to remove,” he remarked.
The NDC has promised several initiatives to enhance the economy and improve the standard of living. Among them are the Women’s Development Bank, non-payment of academic user fees for first-year university students, and the 24-hour economy.
Source: myjoyonline.com
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