Founder of Danquah Institute, Gabby Otchere-Darko has said that Ghanaians are unaware of the projects government is undertaking with taxpayers’ money to better their welfare.
In a tweet on February 11, Mr. Otchere-Darko noted that government has not been transparent enough on how domestic revenue generated is spent in the country.
According to him, citizens want to see “greater transparency in how their taxes are spent. Greater evidence in seeing that, indeed, Government is cutting down spending and reducing waste. More transparency that our revenues are being managed better.”
“We want to see our taxes working for us,” he said.
His comments come at a time when the Minority in Parliament and some members of the public have opposed the introduction of the Electronic Transaction Levy (e-Levy) by government.
They have argued that the implementation of the levy will destroy several businesses that thrive on electronic transactions and worsen the plight of Ghanaians. The critics of the levy have also contended that government has not been able to account for taxes that are already being paid.
Government, on the other hand, has said the e-levy will ensure that there is enough revenue to invest in entrepreneurship, youth employment, security, digital and road infrastructure. It has also considered reducing the rate from 1.75% to 1.5%
But the Minority says it wants the government to withdraw the e-levy entirely.
On Thursday, February 10, the Youth Wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) hit the streets of Accra to protest the passage of the E-levy Bill.
The group was joined by aged citizens, head porters also known as “Kayayei”, Coalition of Concerned University Students (CoCUS) among others.
Clad in black and red, they marched while holding placards with inscriptions such as “Sika no w) he oo! ak)kora b)ne!” and “E-levy is a no brainer to economic recovery and we insist that Yentua!”
Meanwhile, government is leveraging town hall meetings to educate the populace on the need to support the implementation of the levy.
Through the Information Ministry, government held the third meeting at Tamale in the Northern Region on Thursday.
What Ghanaians want to see is greater transparency in how their taxes are spent. Greater evidence in seeing that, indeed, Government is cutting down spending and reducing waste. More transparency that our revenues are being managed better. We want to see our taxes working for us.
— Gabby Otchere-Darko (@GabbyDarko) February 11, 2022
Source: twitter/myjoyonline.com
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
Gabby, today de3! Well done. Goeverent has not been fully transparent in incomes and expenditures. You have allowed the revenues to be trumpeted over and above the expenditures (many of which will either take time to impact our personal bottom lines). Wake up oooh!
WHEN DID NDC BECAME MANAGERS OF THE ECONOMY IF THE GAVE GHANA AND GHANAIANS TO IMF TO MANAGE IT. SIGNED TAKE OR PAY POWER SECTOR AGREEMENTS, DOUBLE SALARY TAKERS, BUS BRANDING LOOTERS, WAYOMY LOOTERS, SOLD OLD 120 RAIL CARS FOR SCRAP WHICH COULD BEEN REPAIRE BY SWAME MAGAZANE FOR $50,000 DOLLARS. BRANDNEW OF THESE RAIL CARS COST 500,000 DOLLARS WHICH NPP CURRENTLY HAS FIXED 10 RAIL CARS BY SWAME MAGAZANE FOR 50,000 DOLLARS SUCH A DISPICABLE ART OF LOOT AND WASTE BY NDC ***barred word*** LOOSERS ECONOMIC MISMANAGEMENT. The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, in 1987 obtained a first class degree in economics from the University of Buckingham, the only independent university with a Royal Charter. In Ontario, Canada. There's a provincial tax called (Hamonous) and it's 13% that is added to everything you buy from the shop. Suppose you see a pair of shoes that is priced at $100, you'd pay additional 13% on it so you'd end up paying for $113 at the cashier. Ghanaians complain too much but expect so much... Even if you go to the bank and exchange money from Canadian dollars to the US dollars, you'd be taxed 7% SO 1.75% IS A DROP IN THE OCEAN AND TELL GHANAIANS NOT TO THINk OF COMING TO NORTH AMERICA BECAUSE TAXES IS WHAT MAKE THIS COUNTRY WORKED USA AND CANADA DO NOT BORROW TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR CITIZENS BUT RATHER THE CITIZENS PAY FOR THEIR DEVELOPMENT NO FREE LUNCH ANY WHERE IN THE WORLD LAZY GHANAIANS THE FREE DAYS ARE OVER LOOSERS.