Executive Director of Programmes for the Vision for Alternative Development-Ghana (VALD), Labram Musah, is advocating for an increase in existing taxes on tobacco products in Ghana under the Excise Duty Amendment Act (Act 1093).
According to recent statistics from VALD, smoking in Ghana incurs an estimated GHC 97 million in healthcare and productivity losses, posing a significant public health challenge.
In an interview with Channel One News, Musah explained that the tax review is necessary to keep pace with annual income increases and to further discourage the purchase of tobacco products.
“And of course, one of the key recommendations for us would be for the government to review, I mean, the tax structure once again. And then to also review the taxes that they have put on the product. Because the WHO has recommended that countries should, regularly, every year, review it.
“So, we call it, progressive tax. So, every year there’s a need for the government to review the taxes and then increase the taxes. Because every year as people’s income increases, what happens is that they get more money and when you get more money you don’t know what to do with them.”
Touching on the prevalence of tobacco use, especially among Ghanaian youth, he expressed concern about the significant obstacles this trend could present to achieving national health objectives.
“These products are very attractive and glamorising, and the public health impact is going to be dire if as a country, we don’t do, much to avert the problem. Now, the point for us is, as I speak to you now, we are having challenges with a product, we don’t have a plan on how to reduce the use by our children or the youth.
“In normal circumstances, countries normally would have plans or deliberate plans to reduce it. I mean, awareness creation plans where we roll out awareness campaigns in the schools.
Because the target of this industry, especially the tobacco industry, has always been the young ones because they have said that they are losing revenue. And the best way they can recoup or get revenue is to target young children. I mean to get them hooked to this product.”
He advised the youth to stay away from drugs.
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