Spreading The Tax Net

The need to spread the tax net in Ghana can not be overemphasized. We fully support the idea of paying taxes which will be used in the interest of the people.

But the proposed tax on cutlass and condom is unacceptable because it will be like biting the finger which feeds you. We have taken a look at the issue and have concluded that this very tax will be on economic suicide.

The above mentioned commodities are very essential for nation building. A look at the trend of population growth in Ghana indicates that we have a growth rate of 3% per year. This means that the nation will double its population in about 20 years time.

That aside, population studies points out clearly that we have a young population meaning that every Ghanaians worker has one person to feed. This is the underlying factor for the hardships facing the Ghanaian worker. If an average worker has to finance one additional person; then one can guess how the worker can make ends meet.

Another dramatic problem is that if concrete measure are not taken to control population growth then the only alternative left is to double our infrastructure in the next 20 years. Even if that is achieved we would experience the very hardships we are experiencing today

Down to earth wind to double schools, hospitals, road, universities, in the coming 20 years judging from the reckless manner the NDC is running our economy. With the growth rate of 14% per year any mature and dynamic person can move our economy and move the nation into a middle class income like Indonesia. But those in the helms of affairs are capable of paying judgement debt which never existed.

His excellency Mr President has turned a blind eye on those duping the nation . The best he can do is to tell the nation that the meat has finished who ate the meat and how to get the ''meat'' back is not in his dictionary . To him the only can handover to the yet unborn in imposing tax on cutlass and condoms .

The NDC has brought the National insurance scheme to a halt . The next on the agenda is the blow on family planning. The need to apply brakes on our population growth can not be overemphasized. Our road are moving from potholes to death traps . More and more children have no classrooms . Our hospitals are overcrowded and one doctor cares for hundreds of patients a day.

Yet the NDC under their better Ghana Agenda fells it is economically wise to impose a tax on condoms . Mr President are you in to increase the rate of population growth ? Are you not the one who want to build classrooms for children before tackling free education .

If the present growth rate is making it difficult for you to provide classrooms, how will you put those learning under trees to classrooms if condoms can not be purchased by the youth . As more and more people stop using condoms, more and more women and for that matter teen-age pregnancy will be the other of the day .

More children will call for more food but cutlasses would be hard to come by because of the tax to rescind your decision on these two items. Our honest suggestion is to put your foot down and retrieve the ill-gotten money which those who walk in the corridors of power are pocketing with impunity.

We would also like to suggest that your excellency should withdraw the tax exemptions given to foreign companies in Ghana. We would appreciate very much if you take all necessary steps to bring all corrupt officials to book including contractors who are in for economic sabotage.

We wish you well.
Kwabena Owusu
Communication Director (NPP Paris Branch)