Reduce taxes on sanitary products

Dear Editor,

Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) recently called on the Ministry of Finance to scrap taxes on sanitary pads as the taxes have made the product very “expensive and inaccessible to many low-income households.”

They further indicated that the high prices could in the long run have dire consequences on girls, especially those in schools and, therefore, maintained that the finance minister should factor the removal of the taxes in the 2021 budget.

But these appeals seem to have fallen on deaf ears as the budget presented to Parliament last month was silent on the removal of taxes. It is unfortunate that the prices of sanitary products keep increasing and I wonder if there would soon be any form of intervention.

The Population and Housing Census revealed that women constituted about 49 per cent of the country’s population so I thought the government would listen and take action on issues affecting women.

Although the budget could not capture this important concern, I want to urge stakeholders to keep pushing for a reduction in the prices of sanitary products and possibly stage a demonstration if the taxes on the product become unbearable.

The Gender Ministry, should among other things, lead this cause to help bring some relief to women who continue to battle other social and economic challenges.

Priscilla Efriyie Ankapong,

Cape Coast.