General News of Wednesday, 8 February 2023

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Tax exemptions are becoming too much, Ghana needs every cedi to save our economy - Minority leader

Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Minority Leader

The minority leader in parliament, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has raised concerns over the too many tax exemption in parliament.

According to him, the finance committee has been very adamant in approving tax exemptions as the country needs every cedi to save the economy.

“Let me pay tribute to Kweku Kwarteng. The two of us converged on this very tax policy of tax exemptions. We believe that tax exemptions are becoming too much, and particularly in times like this when the country needs every cedi to save our economy, you cannot continue granting tax exemptions. And so you would notice that the finance committee has been very adamant in approving tax exemptions.

“We worked with the ministry and we led it to get the Tax Exemptions Bill passed, so we have a Tax Exemption Regime in place as a country for the first time,” he said.

Speaking to journalists with regards to a question on the too many tax exemptions approved by parliament, the minority leader said it is time for parliament to put a break on tax exemptions and raise enough revenue to support the country.

“I believe that the time has come for us to put breaks on those tax exemptions and raise enough revenue to support the country. We need every revenue to move the country forward.

“There is still a lot more we have to do. We believe that the time has come for us to put breaks on those tax exemptions and raise enough revenue to support the country. We need every revenue to move the country forward. I can’t say that that is comfortable enough. So we will have to continuously identify the gaps we have in the in the tax exemption regime and improve it going forward,” Dr Ato Forson added.

NYA/BOG