Franklin Cudjoe, founder and President of IMANI Africa has criticised the government for retaining the COVID-19 levy despite widespread calls from the business community for its repeal.
The government insists that the levy remains crucial for addressing the lingering financial impacts of the pandemic.
Ahead of the mid-year budget review, the business community called for the removal of several redundant taxes, including the COVID-19 levy. However, the government has defended its decision to retain the levy.
Abena Osei-Asare, Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, told the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament on Wednesday that although the immediate threat of COVID-19 has diminished, the financial impacts of the pandemic persist.
In an interview with Selom Adonoo on Big Issue on Channel One TV, Mr Cudjoe highlighted the strain that taxes are putting on Ghanaians, urging the Akufo-Addo government to urgently scrap the COVID-19 levy.
He also lamented the lack of infrastructure development despite the government’s numerous taxes.
“Look at the haemorrhage we have been experiencing in terms of the way taxes received are wasted. So, there’s a certain anomaly to think that it’s only the government that can deliver development to persons and individuals. I’m not too sure that we should be conceptualising the essence of government…In the face of the wanton distraction that has happened to COVID-19 money, you recall that there was a special audit done for all COVID-19 received funds.
“I disagree fundamentally with the purposes of taxation, yes, some amount of taxation should go to the government for driving infrastructural-related purposes. Even then, we should have the private sector being part of it… I have a challenge with the COVID-19 tax and I think it is important that even though we are under economic challenges, largely imposed by our own doing. This whole conversation about COVID-19 tax is quite unnerving.”
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