Dr. Stephen Amoah, Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso Constituency, has expressed his acceptance of the newly introduced GH₵1 energy levy.
However, he insists that the current government must apologize to Ghanaians and the previous administration for harshly criticizing them over a similar tax in the past.
Speaking to the media, Dr. Amoah explained the economic context behind the tax.
He said Ghana is currently running a negative effective tax rate economy. This means the country spends more than it generates internally, resulting in a persistent budget deficit. Given this situation, he believes that introducing such a levy is understandable and necessary.
Dr. Amoah recalled how the former government and its supporters strongly opposed any new taxes or increases in taxes.
He added that he personally faced severe attacks from various groups for supporting tax measures.
He said “But you remember that they demonized any form of tax introduced or increment in this country. Even personally, I had been attacked severely by different people from different social strata, because they thought it was even a demon to introduce any form of tax”.
He expressed surprise that the same critics, within just five to six months in power, have introduced new taxes.
“I’m surprised that the same people within five months or six months, they’ve been able to introduce new taxes,” he emphasized.
Dr. Amoah called on the government and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to apologize to the minority party, the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, and all Ghanaians.
“All that I want to say is that they should come, apologize to the minority, apologize to the then NPP government, apologize to Ghanaians, and let Ghanaians know that they lied to them, they used propaganda, and that the thing that they complained and incited the entire community against, they have begun even doing worse. That’s all that I can say about it for now,” he stressed.
Looking ahead, Dr. Amoah said the issue of taxation and fiscal policy needs a national conversation. He stressed the importance of removing the political stigma around taxes.
He stated “But at the right time, we are going to actually subject all this whole tax issue against our fiscal policy as a country, and the politicization of tax introduction or otherwise, and the damage it’s being done to our country, how dysfunctional it is to our republic.
“We need to subject that to a national discussion, we need to provoke a conversation so we can introduce new paradigms shift and let not Ghanaians think that tax or taxes or tax introduction is demonic. No, it is not demonic,” he added.
According to him, taxes are essential for redistributing resources so that even children in rural and urban communities can access potable water, security, and quality education.
Dr. Amoah explained “It’s meant to ensure that redistribution takes place so that even the poor child from even the rural communities or even the urban communities can also have access to portable water, security, good education, and everything that will ensure equitability in our society. I think tax is meant for that.”
Source : www.kumasimail.com /Kwadwo Owusu
