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‘Payment of taxes a necessary sacrifice to address our challenges’ – Akufo-Addo
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asked the citizenry to rise up to the challenge and help his government develop the country.
President Akufo-Addo says more sacrifices are needed to get the country to where it ought to be.
The President made these comments when he addressed the Summit of the Africa Finance Cooperation in Abuja, Nigeria on Thursday, May 12.
He thus stressed that the country can be developed by only Ghanaians.
He described the “paying of taxes” as a sacrifice necessary to confront Ghana’s challenges.
“All of these are the sacrifices that are required for us to make it, and we have to be prepared to do so. So let us understand that we have to rise to the challenge and do it for ourselves,” President Akufo-Addo urged.
Already, President Akufo-Addo has maintained that he will not remove the taxes, insisting it will cost the government ¢4 billion a year.
He said this during the 2022 May Day celebration on Sunday, May 1.
He said the government is currently confronted by very tight financing conditions, in the wake of inadequate domestic revenue mobilisation.
“Indeed, some of the revenues from these same taxes on petroleum products is what is used to pay some of the salaries of some of the 700,000 public sector workers on Government’s payroll.”.
“We, therefore, continue to be vulnerable to the price volatilities of the world market for petroleum products,” Mr Akufo-Addo explained.
The government on May 1 commenced the implementation of the Electronic transfer Levy (e-levy) in a bid to raise some more revenue.
The implementation of the levy was initially greeted with displeasure from the public domain with panic withdrawals hitting various mobile money vending stations due to the fact that a lot of people were withdrawing from the service.
However, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), in collaboration with the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications and other stakeholders, has heightened sensitisation on the e-levy to assuage the public’s fears and restore their confidence in the usage of the electronic wallets.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
Parliament has confirmed that the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, Kwame Ohene Frimpong, has been detained at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
In a statement signed by the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, Parliament said the incident had been brought to the attention of the House leadership.
According to the statement, the Speaker of Parliament and the leadership of the House are currently in contact with Ghana’s Mission in The Hague to gather detailed information about the matter.
Parliament, however, did not disclose the reasons behind the MP’s detention.
“The public will be duly informed appropriately on this matter,” the statement added.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana’s parliament has marked the 2nd edition of May Day 2026 under the theme “ Welcome Home”.
It was special day meant to celebrate the invaluable support of the workforce, recognizing the commitment, resilience, and contributions of workers to institutional growth and national development.
Delivering the message on behalf of the Speaker, the 1st Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, described the theme as very apt, appropriate, and timely, noting that Parliament is more than a workplace, it is a shared home.
He emphasized that we cannot speak about work without speaking about people, reminding everyone that the true measure of our work is the well-being of our people.
He urged that our traditional clothing become an integral part of our everyday clothing, and that our local languages must become integral to our daily lives, interwoven into education and practiced at home.
Referencing Standing Order 63, which captures the use of local language as optional in deliberations, he encouraged a renewed commitment to identity, saying it is significant that we “come home” and present who we are so future generations can inherit a story they can fully tell.
The Clerk, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, in his remarks commended officers for their dedication and devotion to duty, calling on them to go the extra mile and leave legacies.
Echoing the reminder that an unexamined life is not worth living, he described the event as an invitation to reconnect with our roots through cultural revival.
The Deputy Clerk, C&FMS, Dr. Gloria Sarku Kumawu, urged all not to forget their roots, the people behind the stories of ministries, industries, and the strides made both in-house and beyond.
What began last year has now become a meaningful tradition, showcasing Ghanaian heritage, fostering unity, and encouraging innovation under the principle of diversity for unity and diversity for progress, she added.
The gathering brought together leadership, public officials, and staff across all levels, along with the media, standing as a unifying platform that honored service, celebrated culture, and reaffirmed a shared commitment to national development.
