President of the Traders Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG) David Kwadwo Amoateng has said he is not surprised that Parliament approved the three revenue mobilisation bills.

According to the TAGG president, the leaders to which the country has been entrusted are self-centred.

He told Nana Otu Darko on CTV’s Dwa Br3 Mu on Monday, 3 April 2023 that: “The parliament we have currently, the least said about them the better.

“We’ve entrusted the work to [them in our stead but they rather] want to be heard so every time they issue statements, they go on the radio, grant interviews, that’s the work of the leadership to which we entrusted Ghana,” he bemoaned.

He continued that: “I’m not surprised that the law has been passed and I’m not surprised it went through. The bills have been passed because of cause these people we vote for them, when they get there they become self-centred; ‘Me alone, just me’.”

He also had a word of caution for the youth of the country, come election 2024.

Mr Amoateng thinks the young people should invest their time in developing themselves instead of queuing for politicians during the next elections.

“It’s you the Ghanaian who’s watching me that I’m advising. When it’s time for elections, advice yourselves. When it’s time to vote, and you have customers to serve at your shop, commit yourself to that.

“If you have an interview to attend that will land you a job, go for the interview because I’m embittered about the young people in parliament,” he said.

The TTAG president also bemoaned government’s refusal to consult the trading public over the three new taxes.

“When COVID came, who were leading discussion, is it not doctors? So why is it that we’re in this country and we want money, who should we be consulting, is it not the industry players like traders who have got the money that we need to consult? Why is it that people don’t respect us?

“Why, why did you go to school? Why do we go to school? Is getting money not the reason? Yet you claim you want to generate revenue for the country. You won’t consult the players in the industry,” Mr Amoateng added.

Parliament on Friday, 31 March 2023, passed the Excise Duty Amendment Bill 2022, the Growth and Sustainability Levy Bill, 2022, the Ghana Revenue Authority Bill 2022 and the Income Tax Amendment Bill 2022.

The passage was to facilitate the USD3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) Programme staff-level agreement.

Government is seeking to rake GHS4 billion annually from domestic revenue mobilisation.