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Announce cancellation of some major taxes in 2024 fiscal year- FABAG
The Food and Beverages Association of Ghana (FABAG), has called on the government to announce the cancellation of some major taxes in the 2024 fiscal year budget, expected to be presented by the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, on the floor of parliament next month.
According to the Association, the private sector is terribly underperforming due to the high cost of doing business and lower sales volumes, following the over-taxation of the sector, hence, the immediate removal of the Covid-19 levy, as well as reduction of VAT and some “nuisance taxes”.
The Executive Chairman of the Association, Mr John Awuni, addressing pressmen yesterday in Accra, said, the private sector should be relieved of some of the burdensome taxes, either in the form of corporate tax, consumption taxes, or income tax.
“The government stands to rake in more revenue for development if taxes are reduced and some cancelled. Currently, prices of goods and services are very high, which is consequently reducing the demand for goods and services.
Considering the level of low wages and salaries in the country, the government can trigger higher demand for goods and services in the private sector if taxes are reviewed downwards,” he said.
For instance, Mr Awuni said, the price of evaporated milk which is currently sold for GH¢15, could be bought for GH ¢8.5 without tax, adding the price of beer which is GH¢11 could be bought for GH¢5 when the tax on the product is removed.
“Higher taxes are a major killer of businesses. Ghana has tried the option of higher taxes for decades and yet our economy keeps failing, it is time to try the option of tax net expansion, with lower taxes and scrapping unfriendly levies and duties, and business-friendly taxes in the 2024 fiscal year.
And when businesses fail to operate at their optimum level, they are unable to enjoy the benefits of economies of mass scale production,” Mr Awuni said.
He added that China is doing much better due to the benefits of mass-scale production their private sector is enjoying.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN
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Focus on more pressing issues like Galamsey, not hate speech – Ellen Ama Daaku to Mahama
An aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia,Ellen Ama Daaku has advised President John Dramani Mahama to shift his attention from social media hate speech to more urgent national issues such as illegal mining.
Speaking in an interview, she noted that the President’s recent comments about tracking the IP addresses of people who spread hate speech were unnecessary.
According to her, President Mahama must first define what he considers to be hate speech before seeking to punish people for it.
Ms. Daaku argued that the President himself had benefitted from hate speech and social media attacks in the past when he was in opposition.
She said even during his time in government, he described his opponents and their tribesmen in unpalatable terms, which later drew complaints from former President Nana Akufo-Addo to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
She stressed that harsh criticism of leaders on social media should not automatically be considered hate speech, adding that former leaders, including former President Nana Akufo-Addo had all been subjected to it.
“He is only feeling what Nana Akufo-Addo went through for eight years,” she remarked.
While acknowledging the need to regulate misconduct online, Ms. Daaku insisted that going after social media activists should not be a priority.
She noted that many political activists, including herself, had been insulted and attacked online but never called for arrests.
She concluded that President Mahama should focus his energy on solving pressing problems such as galamsey and the economy instead of concentrating on critics on social media.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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Prof Alidu Seidu files nomination for Tamale Central seat
The newly elected parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Tamale Central, Prof Alidu Seidu, has submitted his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission.
As of 10:00 a.m. today, he was the only person who had filed to contest the seat.
Nomination of candidates will close at the end of the day.
Associate Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana Legon, Prof. Alidu Seidu won the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Tamale Central constituency with a landslide victory.
The elections, supervised by the party’s Elections and IT Directorate in the Northern Region, saw Prof. Seidu poll 840 votes out of the total valid ballots cast.
His closest contender, Lawyer Hanan Gundadow Abdul-Rahaman, secured 536 votes.
The other aspirants could not make significant gains, with Dr. Seidu Fiter obtaining 44 votes, Aliu Abdul-Hamid 23 votes, and the rest recording fewer than 10 votes each.
In all, 1,500 ballots were cast, with 6 ballots rejected and 7 spoilt ballots recorded.
The results were signed and declared by Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari, NDC Northern Regional Director of Elections and IT.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) held parliamentary primaries in Tamale Central to choose a candidate for the upcoming by-election following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Dr. Mohammed, who also served as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, tragically died in a military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District on August 6, 2025, alongside seven others.
His passing left the Tamale Central seat vacant, as required by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-election for September 30, 2025. While the NDC moved quickly to open nominations and vet aspirants, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced it would not contest the seat, citing the need to respect the somber circumstances and promote national unity.
By: Jacob Aggrey
