Govt’s huge appetite for taxes has made the country unattractive for doing business – Minority to Bawumia

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has come under fire from the Minority in Parliament for statements he made recently against the Ghana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) methods of revenue mobilization.

The NDC MPs contend that Dr. Bawumia’s remarks are unfounded, particularly in light of his role as the nation’s vice president.

They emphasized the significance of accountability in a press release signed by their leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, on Tuesday, March 26. They urged Dr. Bawumia and the administration to accept responsibilities for establishing what they consider to be an oppressive tax regime.

Bawumia’s outspoken criticism of the GRA shocked the Minority, which countered that the organization is only performing its constitutionally required responsibility of enforcing tax laws.

They also said that Ghana is no longer a desirable location for commercial ventures because of the Akufo-Addo administration’s high taxation policy.

“It is shocking to note that Alhaji Bawumia had the audacity to single out GRA workers for attack and condemnation after the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government had imposed a lot of taxes on businesses and Ghanaians.”

“The government’s huge appetite for taxes has created a high tax regime which has made the country unattractive for doing business. It is therefore not surprising that many businesses in Ghana are relocating to other countries in the West African sub-region. This spells doom and gloom for Ghanaian employees as jobs which would have otherwise been filled by them get exported as a consequence of the relocation of businesses from the country.”

Dr. Bawumia raised concerns on the aggressive tax collection tactics used by GRA officials at a meeting with the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He said that these tactics were being used as a pretext for harassing firms.

But in a statement released on Friday, March 22, 2024, Organized Labour called Dr. Bawumia’s remarks “unfortunate,” viewing them as a reflection of the hard work and devotion of GRA staff members.

They issued a warning, stating that statements of such nature might incite labor unrest, hinder tax collection, and foster worker discontent.

The organization asked the Vice President to either acknowledge the tremendous progress the GRA has achieved or refrain from making statements that would be detrimental to their efforts.

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com