<<Print>>

Member of Parliament for the Old Tafo Constituency, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, has stated that the reasons for which government wants to charge taxes on importation of mobile phone handsets are �unfounded.� Government in a report to Parliament explained that due to the increase in the prices of handsets, the quest to help grow local industries, and also its expected revenue yield of GHc49 million by close of the year, the House should consider passing into law the payment of taxes on imported handsets. However, Dr. Akoto Osei disputed these reasons saying, this type of information that is coming to Parliament for us to consider as the basis of imposing the tax is not convincing.� According to him, it is untrue that the prices of handsets have gone up, and the expected revenue yield of GHc49 million is �cooked up� because �there is no way that between now and December, we can collect that amount.� He challenged the government to be upfront about its intention to grow local industries with the new tax. The Old Tafo MP cautioned that Parliament �should not legislate in a manner that the fundamental reason for which we are legislating is unfounded� so I think that we ought to be more serious than that.� Despite his arguments, the law was passed by a majority vote in Parliament.