The Minister of Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, has revealed that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cancelled the Kayayei levy out of compassion for the welfare of head porters, commonly known as Kayayei.

The decision, she noted, reflects the president’s dedication to improving the lives of these vulnerable workers.

Speaking in an interview with Andy Asante Okyere on Radio Univers' Wonsom on August, 2024, Abubakar shared a personal experience where she witnessed the tragic consequences of the levy, recalling how a Kayayei sustained a fractured neck during a confrontation over the tax.

“Initially, the Kayayei would be working, and the tax collectors would just hold their pans for them to pay the levy.

“And for me personally, I have witnessed a Kayayei who got her neck broken because of the levy. But because President Akufo-Addo had pity, that is why he cancelled the levy,” she said.

She continued, “Today, he has built three training centres at Madina, Ashaiman, and Kumasi, and those who pass out from these institutions are being given capital to start a business. The president is taking the pan from them and giving them life-changing skills to work.”

The Information Minister further highlighted that the president’s commitment extends beyond just cancelling the levy.

AM/EK

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