Akufo-Addo must apologise to Rawlings for increasing VAT – Eduzie Tamakloe

A member of the legal team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Godwin Eduzie Tamakloe, has demanded an unqualified apology from President Nana Addo over his decision to increase Value Added Tax (VAT) by 2.5 per cent in the 2023 budget statement.

According to him, it beats his imagination that this is happening when Ghanaians are already paying as much as 21 per cent all in the name of the service taxes.

“This government has introduced various taxes that has culminated in the push of the VAT,” he said and cited Covid and ‘Borla’ among other taxes.

He said VAT under this government is hovering around 21 per cent.

The lawyer who is also an aide to former president John Dramani Mahama was speaking on Accra 100.5 FM mid-day news on Monday, November 28, 2022.

He asked the president to tell the good people of Ghana the rate at which VAT was pegged when it was introduced by the late Jerry John Rawlings’ administration.

He noted that the president, in opposition, led thousands of Ghanaians to demonstrate against the introduction of VAT leading to the demise of some innocent people.

“Is that the same rate he (Nana Addo) is charging today?

“What was the VAT rate the president led the innocent people to demonstrate against, he should tell us?

“If I wake up from my sleep and I am told that Nana Addo as president will increase VAT, I will go back to sleep,” he said.

For increasing VAT, Mr Tamakloe urged Nana Akufo-Addo to render a posthumous apology to the memory of former president J.J. Rawlings.

“The president should do as Rawlings did by abolishing the increment at the time people are reeling,” he said.

He said since the NPP government came to office, VAT has generated about GHS20 billion.

He reminded the president to come out and appreciate the efforts of the former president Rawlings in connection with the introduction of VAT.

According to him, the government is full of braggarts with little ideas.

He was categorical to say as for Vice president Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, time will expose him.

“Time will expose him like it has exposed his boss since he led the chart as head of the Economic Management Team to run the economy down,” he said.

Source: Classfmonline.com