NPP failed to explain the necessity of taxes like E-Levy - Vincent Ekow Assafuah

The Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has reflected on the reasons behind the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) loss in the 2024 general elections.

Speaking during an interview on Point Blank on Channel One TV, he highlighted the party’s shortcomings in effectively communicating its challenges and policies to the Ghanaian people.

“We had issues with governance. Akufo-Addo is one of the best presidents we’ve ever had since independence. However, the actions and inactions of certain individuals, especially appointees, did not sit well with the people of Ghana,” Assafuah stated.

He acknowledged that while the former president’s leadership was commendable, lapses in policy implementation and certain decisions left many citizens dissatisfied.

Assafuah also noted that even some of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s actions were met with resistance, often due to misunderstandings among the populace.

However, he emphasized that the NPP’s primary failure was its inability to properly engage Ghanaians in understanding the broader challenges the nation faced.

“I am one of those who believe that the NPP and its government failed to effectively communicate the challenges facing the Ghanaian people,” he admitted.

Turning to the newly installed Mahama administration, Assafuah questioned the feasibility of some of its pre-election promises, such as scrapping the E-Levy and Betting Tax within the first 120 days of taking office.

“John Mahama said that within the first 120 days, he would cancel the E-Levy, Betting Tax, and others. This was before he assumed the reins of government. Now, he is trying to rationalize these promises to the Ghanaian people, but implementing them may not be easy,” he remarked.

The Old Tafo MP implied that despite the NPP’s unpopularity due to certain taxes, these measures were introduced out of necessity to address the nation’s economic challenges.

“These taxes are necessary. However, the NPP failed to bring the people of Ghana along to understand the challenges we faced as a nation,” Assafuah concluded.

Watch the moment John Mahama arrived for his investiture as President of Ghana: