The Mobile Phone and Accessories Dealers Association (MPADA), umbrella-body of mobile phones and accessories dealers in the country, is asking government to reconsider plans to increase tax on phone accessories from the current 3 percent to 17.5 percent.

Chairman of the association, Alfred Korle-Mantey, told journalists that the newly introduced tariff, as captured in the 2016 budget, will have serious negative effects on business activities.

He said: “The 2016 budget has introduced another tariff that seeks to increase the current tax on phone accessories from 3% to 17.5%.

“Let me daresay that the effect of this tax imposition will have a serious negative effect on local business and we would want government to consider this decision.”

The association is also appealing to government to put in place the appropriate legislative instrument that will command the scrapping of the 20 percent import duty on the import of mobile phones and accessories as was promised in the 2015 budget statement.

Mr. Mantey indicated that the association continues to provide employment to thousands of Ghanaians as a way of helping to reduce the surging unemployment rates in the country aside contributing significantly to the public purse through direct and indirect taxes.