The Minority in Parliament has claimed that the government is attempting to provide huge tax exemptions totaling GH7 billion to persons linked with a trading industry.This discovery comes amid an ongoing proposal before the Finance Committee for a GH5 billion tax waiver, allegedly claimed as incentive packages for the One District One Factory (1D1F) scheme.
During a news conference in Accra, Ranking Member of the Trade and Industry Committee Yussif Sulemana warned that the Minority will firmly oppose any attempt to impose further regressive taxes on Ghanaians until the government eliminated these large tax breaks.
“We have also been reliably informed, and we are speaking because we have seen documents that suggest that they’re bringing another GH¢7 billion tax waiver request to parliament. Now, if you put the two together, we are talking about GH¢12.5 billion tax exemptions.
“Here, you are wanting to grant GH¢12.5 billion to your friends and family members in the name of tax exemptions under 1D1F. At the same time, you are imposing taxes to the tune of GH¢11 billion. Can you juxtapose the two?” he inquired.
“We think that it doesn’t make sense to us, and so we are saying that the tax bill that they are going to introduce in this particular budget will face some stiff opposition. We will not sit down and allow them to impose taxes on our people,” he said.
