The Economic Fighter League has rejected the government’s decision to increase road toll levies and also reintroduce the compulsory towing levy.
The group, in a statement signed by General Hardi Yakubu, said Ghanaians are tired of taxation without transparency and value for money.
“The people of Ghana are already saddled with the heightening cost of construction materials, food, electricity bills, water bills, cost of domestic house rents among many other basics,” parts of the group’s statement read.
The Akufo-Addo-led government attempted the introduction of the Mandatory Towing Levy in 2017.
The levy, they explained at the time, will help tow broken down and disabled vehicles from the roads to reduce accidents.      Â
However, with road-related deaths skyrocketing in the first quarter of 2021, the government is considering a reintroduction as part of measures to improve safety on the roads and rid it of broken-down vehicles believed to be contributing to 30% of road carnages.
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But, the group argues in its statement that the newly imposed taxes announced in the 2021 budget are already set to weigh on the people of Ghana from May 1, 2021.
“The compulsory towing levy, which the people of Ghana strongly repulsed and forced government to abort in 2017 is being smuggled in behind veils with new euphemistic excuses.
“It is unintelligible and reductive for the government to seek to suggest that the introduction of more taxes or increasing the rates of existing taxes is the solution to road accidents when the state is currently spending national funds some of the most expensive roads in Africa yet delivering some of the most poorly built roads,” the statement noted.
The group further stressed that the increase in expenditure cannot be considered proportional to safety when national resources are constantly diverted to private hands.
“We at Fighters and other well-meaning Ghanaians are skeptical of the commitment of current and/past administrations to curb road accidents and to improve road infrastructure.
“Our reasons are easily found in their track records of the vicious stealing from public purse as captured in the wrongfully removed Auditor-General’s reports.
Meanwhile, they have pledged to support any serious move to recover stolen money as surcharged by the Auditor-General’s annual reports.
Read the full statement below:
