The Minority in Parliament has slammed Member of Parliament (MP) for Effiduase-Askore, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye for what the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament (MPs) describe as double standards.
They are questioning why the founder of AFAG and chairman of the health committee voted in support of the passage of the levy only to turn around and ask for suspension of its implementation.
Dr. Afriye took to social media to charge the government to stand down the levy as a result of this year’s elections in order to give the party’s candidate Dr. Bawumia a fair shot at the Presidency.
First deputy speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu has called those making such demands out for running away from responsibility of defending government attempts in saving the economy.
Answering questions from Starr News during leadership engagement with the Parliamentary Press, Minority leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson described the position of Dr. Afriye as baffling.
The former deputy finance minister however argued there are better alternatives to government in salvaging the economy such as expenditure cuts rather than overburdening the public with taxes.
He asked the government to stop blaming the taxes on external bodies.
“As to why the Honorable Member, Afriye voted for the Emission Levy and went out there to say something different, that the implementation must wait.
“I found it very baffling because we explained it on the floor, the Minority voted their numbers against it. He voted as a member of the Majority in support of the bill. So I don’t know why the sudden change of position,” Dr. Ato Forson stated.
The Minority also stated Ghana’s economy can be saved by cutting down some expenditures and not imposing taxes.
“We are not seeing the cutting expenditures, so the government has a choice. A choice to increase taxes or a choice to cut expenditure or a combination of both. The IMF does not tell you to impose the tax but the IMF asks you to reduce the deficit to a particular level.
“So the choice is yours to either impose a tax, cut expenditure or do both. Now the government decided to impose a tax without cutting expenditure. So it is the choice of the government and they should carry it,” Dr. Forson added.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
