Dealers in second-hand vehicles have challenged the Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to carry through on his promise to introduce a flat rate of taxes at the ports of Ghana now, instead of at a putative future date.
They have said that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who is also Ghana’s Vice President, has the political power and clout to make his pledge a reality now, and should not wait until he is elected to power in December 2024.
“What we are saying is that Dr. Bawumia has stated that he would give us a flat rate at the ports. What we are saying that at present, he is part of the government. So if he knows that a flat rate at the ports would help and bring relief to us businessmen, then why doesn’t he do it immediately? So that we would know that he is being truthful with us and that he is not just making promises to get political power,” the importers have said.
Addressing the nation on his vision if elected president at the University of Professional Studies, Accra, on Wednesday February 6, 2024, Dr Bawumia said his administration would introduce a flat tax of a percentage of income for individuals and Small and Medium Enterprises SMEs (which constitute 98% of all businesses in Ghana) with appropriate exemption thresholds set to protect the poor.
“With the new tax regime, the tax return should be able to be completed in minutes! We will also simplify our complicated corporate tax system and VAT regime,” he added.
However, Mr. Jones Bismack Oduro, the Secretary to the Korea Importers Association, says that this is not enough.
Speaking after a meeting of the association at Achimota in Accra on Friday, Mr. Oduro emphasized that Dr. Bawumia has the power today to do what is necessary and should not wait for some putative future date to carry out his promise.
