Akufo-Addo organized Kume Preko to challenge VAT but now piling it on suffering Ghanaians — Arise Ghana

The pressure group Arise Ghana has strongly condemned the Akufo-Addo government's decision to impose a value-added tax (VAT) on domestic electricity consumption.

The group said the action of the NPP government will place additional hardship on Ghanaians grappling with high costs of living.

In a statement seen by this portal, Arise Ghana's co-convener Bernard Mornah described the VAT hike as "cruel and unacceptable" coming at a time when people are facing "unprecedented economic hardships" due to rising inflation, interest rates, and unemployment under the current administration.

"We have learnt with utter disgust, the decision by the callous Akufo- Addo/Bawumia Government, acting through the Minister For Finance to impose VAT on the domestic consumption of electricity, effective January 2024," Mornah said.

He noted that President Akufo-Addo strongly opposed the introduction of VAT through violent protests in the 1990s as leader of the infamous 'Kume Preko' demonstration.

"It is a sad irony that President Akufo-Addo, who was the leader of the bloody Kume Preko Demonstration that vehemently opposed the introduction of VAT, has now turned around to increase and expand the incidence rate of VAT just to finance the creature comfort of his corrupt and wasteful government," Mornah added.

Arise Ghana is demanding the immediate withdrawal of the VAT on electricity, threatening further demonstrations with other pressure groups to force the government's hand.

The group's action comes after the Trades Union Congress revealed its residence and called on government to reduce the tax within 7 days.