Richard Ahiagbah challenges NDC to offer solutions for tax criticisms

Richard Ahiagbah, the Communications Director of Ghana's ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has urged the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to present alternatives to address the pressing challenges facing the nation.

Ahiagbah criticised the NDC for its opposition to the government's implementation of new taxes, notably the Value Added Tax (VAT) on electricity and the Emissions Levy. These measures have

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Speaking on The Big Issue program on Citi FM/Citi TV, Ahiagbah emphasised the need for the NDC to propose solutions to Ghana's economic difficulties, especially since they oppose the new tax impositions.

He attributed the country's economic struggles to the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which compelled the government to introduce new taxes to mitigate the impacts.

Ahiagbah asserted that if the NDC were in power, their approach to taxation would differ significantly from that of the NPP, insinuating that the NDC would impose higher taxes due to their social democratic principles.

“We are mindful of the position of the citizenry, one that we know is difficult. But under these circumstances what will be the NDC’s solution, whose inclination will be tax for government revenue? What will be their response? We need to have the NDC tell us what their response will be. The government hears what citizens are talking about, the NPP naturally will not apply this tax under any circumstance. They are the taxers, we use tax as a means to stimulate production,” he said.

Acknowledging the hardships faced by Ghanaians, Ahiagbah assured that the government is mindful of their plight and is committed to not exacerbating their situation with burdensome taxes.

Regarding the opposition from the Trades Union Congress (TUC) towards discussions on the VAT on electricity, Ahiagbah urged organised labor and other stakeholders to engage in dialogue with the government, emphasising the importance of democratic dialogue in finding solutions.