The Minority in Parliament has sharply criticised Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), over his recent remarks on revenue mobilization methods employed by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
The NDC MPs asserted that Dr Bawumia's comments lack merit, especially considering his position as the Vice President of the country.
In a press statement released on Tuesday, March 26, signed by their leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson emphasised that rather than shifting blame, Dr. Bawumia and the government should take accountability for fostering a high tax regime.
They expressed surprise at Dr. Bawumia's audacity to publicly criticize the GRA for fulfilling its constitutionally mandated duty of tax enforcement.
The NDC MPs further argued that the Akufo-Addo administration's excessive taxation policies have rendered Ghana less appealing for conducting business.
“It is shocking to note that Alhaji Bawumia had the audacity to single out GRA workers for attack and condemnation after the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government had imposed a lot of taxes on businesses and Ghanaians.”
“The government’s huge appetitie for taxes has created a high tax regime which has made the country unattractive for doing business. It is therefore not surprising that many businesses in Ghana are relocating to other countries in the West African sub-region.
"This spells doom and gloom for Ghanaian employees as jobs which would have otherwise been filled by them get exported as a consequence of the relocation of businesses from the country.”
During a meeting with the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Bawumia expressed concerns about the alleged misuse of tax collection by GRA staff, citing it as a pretext for harassing businesses.
However, the Organized Labour, in a statement dated Friday, March 22, 2024, deemed Dr. Bawumia's comments as "unfortunate," interpreting them as a discredit to the dedicated efforts of GRA employees.
They cautioned that such remarks could breed worker dissatisfaction, impede revenue collection, and provoke industrial unrest.
The group urged the Vice President to either recognize the significant strides made by the GRA or abstain from remarks that undermine their endeavors.
They also pointed out the inconsistency in Dr. Bawumia's position, given his leadership role in the Economic Management Team and his knowledge of the government's targets for the Authority through the Ministry of Finance.
“We would like to state unequivocally that, we the workers of GRA find this statement unfortunate and consider it as an attack on the efforts of the hard-working staff of the Authority which if not discontinued, would incur the displeasure of workers, disrupt revenue collection efforts and breed industrial disharmony.”
Credit: Ernest K Arhinful