The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana has called on Parliament to reject the two tax bills that government is planning to lay before the House.

“The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana is aware of plans by the Finance Committee of Parliament to present before the house, two new tax bills for deliberation, and possible passage. The bills, the Income Tax Amendment Bill, and the Excise Duty Tax, which, according to the Nana Addo-led government, will help shore up Ghana’s revenue, should be rejected by parliament in all manner,” a statement issued on Wednesday, 22 March 2023, signed by the Executive Secretary of the Association, Samson Asaki Awingobit, said.  

The association is of the view that “these two taxes are just a lazy approach by the government that campaigned on moving away from taxation to production to rake in monies with the hope of stabilising the economy.”

It noted that: “It is refreshing to hear the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) calling on its members of parliament to vote outright in rejection of the said bills since it will not in any way inure to the benefit of the ordinary Ghanaian and businesses who are already folding out of business due to the already existing draconian taxes.”

The association, therefore, urged “the majority MPs to also follow suit in rejecting these two bills that will compound the very challenges facing local businesses to thrive.”

It also called on the Ghanaian business community to kick against the decisions of government affecting their businesses.

“It is high time the business community rises to demonstrate their displeasure and anger against the Akufo-Addo government for toying with their fortunes [with] their mismanagement of the country’s economy,” the association added.