Luxury vehicles tax abolition: Akufo-Addo gov’t insulting poor Ghanaians

Government’s withdrawal of the luxury vehicles tax has been described as a slap on the face of the average Ghanaian whose standard of living continues to be eroded away by one tax or another.

Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, in his mid-year budget presentation to Parliament indicated government has noted complaints on implementation of the tax.

He indicated that the government, being a listening one, is proposing withdrawal of the levy but will explore other innovative sources of raising the needed revenue.

Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, has however described the hasty withdrawal of the luxury vehicles levy barely a year ago as an insult to poor Ghanaians.

He stated that average Ghanaians have, since the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government took power, cried for certain taxes to be abolished, especially on fuel products, to no avail yet the Akufo-Addo government believes it expedient to withdraw the luxury vehicle levy because those with capacity to buy such vehicles are complaining the levy is too hard on them.

Mr. Adongo stressed the supplementary budget is specifically targeted at making life of the poor taxi and trotro drivers, artisans and mechanics who utilize petrol in their operations very difficult.

He questioned rationale of withdrawing a levy targeted at the rich with extra wealth to indulge in acquiring plush cars and yet squeezing the already suffering masses with more tax hikes.

“If the rich are complaining they could not pay more taxes then who should pay, the poor,” he queried?

“You have withdrawn the levy to make life comfortable for the wealthy and rather pushed same into fuel to further burden the suffering motor rider. Is it only the motor rider and taxi drivers who could pay levies for government to provide development projects?”



“We have never seen or experienced such a wicked government. The poor Ghanaian has now been burdened with the responsibility to pay, which hitherto was for the rich.”

Mr. Adongo maintained that any government that feels it could not take extra from the wealthy but quick to grab the little in the hands of the deprived is wicked.

According to him, the NDC’s pieces of advice to President Akufo-Addo that were ungraciously ignored are now being accepted by government.

“In 2017, they came here with marginal reduction in the energy sector levy, which was applauded by Ghanaians. Here we are today, they have returned but this with astronomical increases in the energy sector levy, indicating the intention was never to address the suffering of Ghanaians,” he said.