The Member of Parliament for Nanton, Mohammed Tuferu, says voting for the new tax bills on Friday was more important to him than his life.
The MP who survived a near-fatal accident en route to Parliament to support the government’s new tax bills had a cut on top of his left eye.
Speaking on Citi FM on Monday, Tuferu who is also the deputy Agric Minister said he decided to proceed to Parliament after the accident because he wanted the government’s tax bills to be approved.
The Nanton MP also admitted that his excessive speed led to Friday’s accident.
Asked whether he considered his life less important than the passage of the tax bills, Mr Tuferu answered “yes, you [can] say that.”
He also admitted that he was cleaned up and stitched up in Parliament’s washroom before he was allowed to vote for the passage of the three tax bills.
Parliament last Friday approved four financial bills presented by the government aimed at generating approximately 4 billion Ghana Cedis annually to boost domestic revenue mobilization.
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They are the Excise Duty Amendment Bill 2022, the Growth and Sustainability Levy Bill 2022, the Ghana Revenue Authority Bill 2022, and the Income Tax Amendment Bill 2022.
The percentages for the various taxes have increased, and it now covers more products.
The move by the government is essential as part of the moves in facilitating the Board Approval for the $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) Programme staff-level agreement.
The measures are part of the government’s efforts to meet the IMF’s criteria to qualify for a bailout.
The Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill, which will impose a 20 per cent tax on cigarettes and e-smoking devices, as well as sweetened beverages, spirits and wines, is projected to rake in about GH¢400 million annually, while the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill will generate about GH¢1.2 billion.
The Growth and Sustainability (Amendment) Bill, which will replace the National Fiscal Stabilisation Levy that currently imposes a levy on companies operating in selected sectors, is also projected to raise about GH¢2.2 billion.