Tax increment: Brace yourselves for extreme hardship - Minority to Ghanaians

The Minority’s spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson has admonished Ghanaians to brace themselves for untold hardship because government has planned to increase tax on fuel and talk tax in it’s mid-year budget review.

The legislator indicated in a write-up that baring any last-minute changes, the government will announce on Monday increases in taxes on fuel( the energy sector levies ESLA) and call time including data( communication service tax).

The country’s Financial Management Administration Act requires the Finance Minister to come before Parliament not later than July 31, to prepare and submit a Mid-Year Fiscal Policy review.

This normally includes estimates outlined in the Budget that the finance minister presented for the financial year in question.

Indications are that some macroeconomic targets set in 2018 are likely to be reviewed in the minister’s presentation to Parliament.

Commenting on the budget review, the legislator said any move by government to increase taxes would be rejected forcefully.

“My colleagues and I on our side in parliament will do all we can to oppose these unfair increases and I call on you the good people of this country to reject these unfair, draconian increases in taxes.”

Read his full write-up below

Brace-up for untold hardship as government is likely to increase Tax on fuel and talk tax in its mid-year review.

Fellow Ghanaians, I bear bad news as this government is set to take its insensitive and incompetent policies a notch higher during its mid-year review. Barring any last-minute changes, the finance minister will announce on Monday increases in taxes on fuel( the energy sector levies ESLA) and call time including data( communication service tax).

An increase in fuel tax will result in a hike in the pump prices of fuel products including LPG and have a cascading effect on the price of transportation, prices of goods and services, the general cost of living, and eventually on general hardships in the country.

Ghanaians should therefore not expect any measures to alleviate the hardships in the country but rather brace themselves for untold hardships.

Again you will cough up more money to continue talking to friends and loved ones. As for data charges they will hit the roof!

My colleagues and I on our side in parliament will do all we can to oppose these unfair increases and I call on you the good people of this country to reject these unfair, draconian increases in taxes.