Former deputy Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson has urged Ghanaians to buckle up as government readies itself to announce an increment in the tax on fuel and talk tax in the mid-year budget review.

He said an increase in the fuel tax will immediately affect the price of fuel at the pumps and therefore hardship on Ghanaians.

“Brace-up for untold hardship as government is likely to increase Tax on fuel and talk tax in its mid year review.

“Fellow Ghanaians, I bear bad news as this government is set to take its insensitive and incompetent policies a notch higher during its mid-year review.
Barring any last minute changes the finance minister will announce on Monday increases in taxes on fuel( the energy sector levies ESLA) and call time including data( communication service tax).

“An increase in fuel tax will result in a hike in the pump prices of fuel products including LPG and have a cascading effect on price of transportation, prices of goods and services, general cost of living, and eventually on general hardships in the country.
Ghanaians should therefore not expect any measures to alleviate the hardships in the country but rather brace themselves for untold hardships. Again you will need to cough-up more money to continue talking to friends and loved ones. As for data charges they will hit the roof,” he wrote on Facebook Saturday.

The finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta is expected to present the 2019 Mid-year budget review in Parliament on July 29, 2019. Speculations making rounds indicate the government is likely to introduce or increase taxes.