The Minority Caucus in Ghana’s Parliament led by the leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has condemned Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the 2024 Presidential candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over his recent alleged attack on the Ghana revenue authority (GRA).
According to the minority, the Vice President, who is the head of the Economic Management Team (EMT) for the Akufo Addo-led government should take responsibility for Ghana’s high tax regime.
The Minority Caucus in Ghana’s Parliament led by the leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has condemned Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the 2024 Presidential candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over his recent alleged attack on the Ghana revenue authority (GRA).
The Minority Caucus asserted that, Dr. Bawumia should take full responsibility rather than shifting it onto the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
The Minority expressed shock over the manner in with which the Vice President dared attack the GRA for the higher taxes imposed on businesses and Ghanaians.
It is recalled that on March 20, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, in an engagement with members of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the business community is being harassed by the GRA for setting unrealistic revenue targets.
But his comments appeared to have incurred the displeasure of GRA Workers' Union, who in a statement dated Friday, March 22, 2024, interpreting them as a discredit to the dedicated efforts of GRA employees.
They cautioned that such remarks could breed worker dissatisfaction, impede revenue collection, and provoke industrial unrest.
“We would like to state unequivocally that, we the workers of GRA find this statement unfortunate and consider it as an attack on the efforts of the hard-working staff of the Authority which if not discontinued, would incur the displeasure of workers, disrupt revenue collection efforts and breed industrial disharmony,” portions of the statement read.
Wading into the discussion, the Minority in a statement on Tuesday, March 26, stated that it is both hypocritical and deceptive for the Vice President “to blame innocent GRA workers for the fallouts of a high tax regime after his government has sponsored, motivated and marshalled the numbers of the Majority Caucus in Parliament to fight tooth and nail to pass regressive, punitive, draconian and insensitive taxes.”
The statement signed by the MP for Ajumako Esian Enyan in the Central region added, “it is absurd that Alhaji Bawumia, who approves economic policies including tax proposals at meetings of the Economic Management Team as well as justifies them at Cabinet meetings, has turned round to blame workers of GRA for the country’s high tax regime.”
“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 appetitie 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," the Minority said.
Below is the full statement.
Our attention has been drawn to news publications in which Vice President Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia launches scathing attacks on workers of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and condemns them for merely performing their statutory duties.
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.
Instead of blaming GRA workers, Alhaji Bawumia should take responsibility for the regressive and crippling taxes that his government has imposed on his watch as the Chairman of the government’s Economic Management Team.
It is hypocritical and deceptive on the part of Alhaji Bawuima, the key architect of the government’s economic policies, to blame innocent GRA workers for the fallouts of a high tax regime after his government has sponsored, motivated and marshalled the numbers of the Majority Caucus in Parliament to fight tooth and nail to pass regressive, punitive, draconian and insensitive taxes.
It is absurd that Alhaji Bawumia, who approves economic policies including tax proposals at meetings of the Economic Management Team as well as justifies them at Cabinet meetings, has turned round to blame workers of GRA for the country’s high tax regime.
It was precisely because of the adverse impact of these taxes on businesses and the people that the NDC Minority Caucus in Parliament resisted the draconian taxes and voted en bloc against them.
Already, we have served notice that the NDC Minority Caucus will bring a Private Member’s Bill to remove e-levy, emission tax and betting tax.
The government has finally agreed with us to abolish these taxes, except that while Dr Bawumia wants that done in the future, the NDC Minority Caucus wants the removal of the taxes now!
Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com
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Look at the one talking. We waiting for the verdict of his corruption trial. Interesting days ahead and small boys are young...hahaha
It is only vegetable minds who sees good in this hopelessly corrupt and incompetent NPP government.
NDC ne ***barred word***!!
What has (P)NDC contributed to Ghana's development when they ruled this country for closed to 30 years? Nothing. Only making noise. Massa shuttt uppppp. You guys have nothing to offer us. Remain in opposition and be making noise. Greedy ***barred word***.
@Edem Kudzo, it's obvious that what you have said applies to you most. When Bawumia was campaigning rigourously and smearing others as incompetent, did he not know that he was only going to occupy an "advisory" role? When he posed 170 questions to then vice president who was only occupying an "advisory" role and holding him responsible for the economy, what was he thinking? You people cannot change the narrative no matter how much you try, because wise Ghanaians will always judge him in the same manner that he judged others. You same people credit and "advisor" for the positives in this government, how intellectually dishonest can you be? By the way, a credible "advisor" who has got all his good advice being ignored will quit his role to save his credibility. A ***barred word*** advisor on the other hand will join the bandwagon of destroying and causing financial loss to the state for being paid huge amounts of money and delivering no positive thing to the nation. If Bawumia can succeed tomorrow, he would have already been succeeding now.
NDCs have lost critical reasoning and logical thinking,otherwise,how many times must we say that Bawumia just occupies an advisory role,the constitution doesn't give him power to rule,if he offers advice and the president doesn't heed,it ends there...Ato Forson,wise up!
These gyimi gyimi NPP communicators can never stop advertising their ignorance.. suddenly Dr. BAWUMIA cannot be questioned. @kofi, I think you need to take advantage of the free SHS and go back to school again.
@Kofi, who are you to ask such a shallow question? Is Bawumia beyond reproach or questioning? At the least chance, NPP footsoldiers will just be asking numb questions such as "who are you"?, "what have you/ has she or she achieved in life?", etc.. guys we are in 2024, let sense work
EEEEIIII NDCFOA, MOBR3 PAAAA OOOOO BOI
Is this Ato Forson?