Forensic Pathologist and Senior Lecturer at KNUST, Prof Paul Ossei Sampene has described Dr. Bawumia’s promise of tax amnesty in 2025 as insulting and accused him of betraying his own government.
The Vice President and the 2024 flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has made a declaration of implementing tax amnesty for both individuals and businesses when given the nod to lead the country as president come 2025.
The vice president, in an engagement with the Ghana Bar Association, and Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, indicated that the prevailing tax regime is structureless and lacks innovation, which makes it burdensome for individuals and businesses to comply with.
According to Prof. Sampene, NPP’s flagbearer statement among other things lends credence to claims of him being a liar.
“I’m tempted to believe the claim that Dr Bawumia is a liar is true, and he’s taking that liar mantra to a different level. How can you meet with top learned lawyers and industrialists and say such a thing to them? Unfortunately, none of them are able to tell him the truth that he’s lying”, he stated.
In an interview with Millicent Safo-Adu, he expressed his anger towards the GBA President, Yaw Boafo Esq on his side for not being able to tell Dr. Bawumia that he’s taking them for granted and spewing lies to them.
Accusations of betrayal and disgrace
Prof. Ossei Sampene condemned Dr. Bawumia’s proposal as a betrayal of himself, the government’s policies, and the party he represents.
“What Dr. Bawumia said is a betrayal of himself, a betrayal of the policies of the government of which he, Bawumia, is a member, a betrayal of the party for which he is the flagbearer. He further described it as disgraceful because all the policies the government has implemented, including taxes, he was a key player as the Head of the Economic Management Team. Every tax, including those inherited from the previous administration and those implemented by his government, he is aware of. You haven’t uttered a word about it. Now, as you are desperate to become president, you are voicing out," he stressed.
He called on the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to address Dr Bawumia’s statements, accusing Dr. Bawumia of inciting discord between taxpayers and the govt.
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“Dr. Bawumia has betrayed the Ghana Revenue Authority and I expect them to issue a statement on Bawumia’s pronouncements. GRA never collected taxes on their own; it was government policies they were supervising.
"What Dr. Bawumia has done is inciting businesses and individuals who pay taxes in Ghana against his own government, especially the GRA,” he stated.”
Prof Ossei Sampene claims that Dr. Bawumia has made him believe that the government of Nana Akufo-Addo does not know what they are doing, they are just increasing taxes without knowing the consequences.
Doubts Cast on Government Competence
In a scathing assessment, Prof. Sampene suggested that Dr Bawumia’s recent remarks reflect a failure of leadership within the current administration.
“Dr. Bawumia’s statements of late clearly demonstrate that they have failed Ghanaians big time and they do not deserve to govern this country. The ‘Break the 8’ mantra, along with the things he is saying, make it impossible. They do not have what it takes to rule us again,” he noted.
Prof. Sampene on Dr. Bawumia’s mate scenario: “If the driver is leading us into a ditch and you cannot speak out because you are a mate, we cannot entrust a car to you for driving because we are unsure of your competence level as a mate,” he pointed out.
