Political Science Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr. Amakye Boateng has questioned the import of the speech by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia where he patently discounted policies and taxes imposed by President Akufo Addo.
Delivering his vision as presidential candidate pending the exit of the President who serves his last term, Dr Bawumia promised to scrap a gamut of unpopular taxes imposed by the same Akufo Addo administration in which he serves as vice president.
For the first time after taxes like the VAT on Electricity Tariffs; Taxes on Gambling and the Electronic Transactions Levy were introduced, DR Mahamadu Bawumia demonstrated empathy towards the tax burden Ghanaian, promising to scrap them.
Expressing surprise at the position of the Vice President, Dr Amakye Boateng asked whether the decision to scrap the taxes was the Vice President’s communication to Ghanaians that the President does not have the best interest of Ghanaians at heart.
Speaking in an interview with Kojo Marfo on Abusua 96.5 FM, Dr Amakye Boateng asked, “Is Dr Bawumia making this proposition to us because he holds the view that President Akufo Addo does not want the good of Ghanaians or what?”
He further wondered why Dr. Bawumia, if he deems the taxes obnoxious and unnecessary, would not instead be pushing for their removal rather than wait to be elected president.
Commenting on the Vice President’s assertion that he was only a bus conductor to a driver, the political science academic questioned when Dr. Bawumia realized he was an advisor, and whether he had the same understanding in 2016 while he was making big promises.
Dr. Amakye Boateng pointed out, “it is not just a question of a driver’s mate. It is a question of you’re more than a vice president, you’re a consultant. In addition to that, Nana Addo intentionally called you to work for him on a specific project.”
“In 2016 did he have all this understanding when he was making the big promises? Was he just engaging in political talk,” he quizzed.
Dr. Amakye Boateng waved off as mere political rhetoric, the vice president’s departure from the government-imposed taxes and his promises to remove them when given the nod.
He argued that the Vice President’s attempt to distance himself from the actions and inactions of the eight year administration of the New Patriotic Party deviates from political logic of leadership and governance.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Kwadwo Owusu
