Coronavirus: ICU demands for tax waivers, special stimulus package

The Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) says businesses in the country would need a "special stimulus package” to mitigate the impact of the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

General Secretary of ICU, Mr. Solomon Kotei told Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm that over 106 airlines, catering services and other service providers have been badly affected.

This he explained calls for a special package to help these businesses mitigate the situation.

He disclosed to Rainbow Radio that ICU has presented a paper to the government requesting for support especially, on tax reliefs.

"We have appealed to the government to give the small and medium scale enterprises tax waivers as well as the major businesses some tax reliefs. We need the support to ensure we mitigate the impact.”

He also revealed that the Ghana Employers Association has anticipated that they can only recover from the negative impact of the virus in the next 23 months, hence they also ”need a serious and special stimulus package”.

Mr. Kotei said the COVID- 19 has brought unexpected crisis for businesses.

He was, however, hopeful the situation will normalise in the next two months.

"The crisis is a serious one and an unexpected crisis,” he said.

He said the ICU per its engagement with businesses have assured workers of their job safety although some have been asked to go home until the situation is brought under control.