Central Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Mr. Bernard Allotey Jacobs has said that, if the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government increases taxes, it will be a great curse to them as the same party once protested against tax increase some years back.
According to Allotey Jacobs, the Kume Preko demonstration organized in Ghana in 1995 against the Jerry John Rawlings government’s introduction of the Value Added Tax (VAT) was led by Nana Akufo-Addo, now incumbent President with other colleagues including as Kwesi Pratt Jnr, Dr. Wereko Brobbey, Akoto Ampaw and Napoleon Abdulai.
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He holds the view that after Nana Akufo Addo vehemently opposing VAT, it will be unconscionable to see an increase in taxes under his regime as President at a time that Ghanaians are reeling under economic hardship.
The demonstration was initially billed as a peaceful protest but quickly became violent when unidentified assailants shot live bullets into the crowd resulting in the deaths of six protesters.
“If the NPP led government increases VAT, it’ll be a great curse upon them. You can’t spit and take it back. I want the President to know that Ghanaians are suffering. People are complaining in the market, in trotro, on the streets, everywhere.
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Common staple foods have become extremely expensive. The people of Ghana did not ask the government to introduce Free SHS, the President himself made that promise so we thought the money for that project was set aside already, little did we know that taxes will have to be increased to support such project.” He said on Peace FM.
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This issue came about as a result of government seeking to implement an increase in Value Added Tax tomorrow, 19th July 2018 which has been frowned on by many people claiming that the country is already in financial crisis.