No legitimately elected president will impose new taxes in a coronavirus period - Clement Apaak

The Member of Parliament for Builsa South Dr. Clement Apaak has opined that the budget presented by Caretaker Minister Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu is a punishment initiated by the President to Ghanaians because they did not vote for him as President.

In an opinion in reaction to the budget which has been christened as “Completion, Consolidation, and Continuation”, the legislator noted that President Akufo-Addo has decided to deliberately punish Ghanaians for NOT voting for him and his NPP.

He believes the government has failed and mismanaged the economy and blaming it on covid-19.

He noted that a legitimately elected President will not impose taxes on Ghanaians especially when they have lost their jobs and facing an economic crisis.

He opined that a truly elected president would rather focus on alleviating the challenges of the people instead of imposing new taxes.

Ghana’s public unsustainable level before has ballooned from 122billion(56% of GDP) to 291.6 billion representing 76% of GDP!

The government has introduced new taxes and levies which it intends to raise revenue to help recover the economy which it says has been negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

These levies and taxes include the Covid-19 Health Levy, Road Toll increases, Gaming Tax, Sanitation and pollution Levy(Bola Tax), 1% Increase in NHIL, 1% increase in Vat flat rate, ESLA increase, and the financial sector clean up Levy 5%.

Reacting, Dr. Apaak noted that this is insensitive and shows that the current President was not legitimately elected.

“He is President by conferment, and his actions betray this; the state of the nation, and now the 2021 budget.

Just look at the budget presented, a legitimately elected President and the party will not impose taxes on citizens already on their knees: lost their jobs, businesses collapsed, sold property, emptied savings; impose taxes on businesses struggling to stay alive.

A truly elected President and the ruling party will be alleviating the social and economic pressure on citizens, and will offer stimulus packages to businesses rather, not taxing citizens and businesses!”