Senior Vice President of IMANI, Kofi Bentil has expressed his displeasure in the new taxes government has imposed on the citizenry.
Speaking on Newsfile, Saturday, Mr Bentil stated emphatically that some of the taxes are a ‘nuisance’.
According to him, President Akufo-Addo scrapped some taxes imposed on Ghanaians by former President John Mahama were scrapped, giving hopes that his administration will do better, however that has not been the case.
“Things are not good and it is largely because we were given expectations that have not been met and unnecessary errors are been made, some of the taxes we are talking about are nuisance taxes the same kind of nuisance taxes this government did away with,” he stated.
The Akufo-Addo government has indicated that the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Ghana cost the country about ¢19 billion hence a need to introduce new taxes as steps to revamp the economy amidst the pandemic.
The new taxation includes a 1% Covid-19 Levy, Sanitation Levy and increment in prices of petroleum products.
But the policy analyst said the extravagant lifestyle of state officials at the cost of the countries resources adds up to the hardship experienced by the citizens.
According to Mr Bentil, some state officials who could not afford certain lifestyle are living expensive life after given the nod to service the Ghanaian populace.
“I think that the worst part of all that is going on is the profligacy in government. They are not showing us by the example that they are prepared to sacrifice. You still see them spend.
There are CEOs in this country taking six figures salaries, there are people who could not buy brand new Toyota corolla who are in government now demanding two, three V8. Those are the things that are annoying,” he stated.
The legal practitioner urged President Akufo-Addo to put a stop to profligacy in the country.
