New Taxes: Mireku Duker shoots down NDC arguments

Tarkwa-Nsuaem constituency Member of Parliament (MP), George Mireku Duker has dismissed claims that government's new taxes will compound the plight of Ghanaians.

According to Hon. Mireku Duker, the 2021 budget read by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu on behalf of Finance Minister-designate, Ken Ofori-Atta which captured the new taxes is rather ''giving hope for the future where people will be supported immensely''.

Speaking on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Hon. Mireku Duker shot down arguments that President Nana Akufo-Addo has deceived Ghanaians for imposing tax on the freebies he provided the citizenry which was meant to cushion them against the pandemic last year.

He defended the government stressing the freebies and other incentives that the Akufo-Addo administration gave to Ghanaians were to ease the economic pressures on them but there has to be a way to restore the economy, hence the need for the new taxes.

He strongly believe the new taxes will revive Ghana's economic strength following the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic.

"Ghana has reached a stage where we have to know that, yes, this government cares for them. When there was a great hardship, the government was able to cushion them. Now, if we have been cushioned, how do we then get ourselves back so we can go the same tangent tomorrow should there be similar occurence? So, I think I believe we have to agree with this. We need to in a way engage people. We need to explain to people the need to tax and the need for us to pay'', he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi.