Remove All COVID-19 Tax You Imposed On Ghanaians – CSO to Government
The African Center for Health Policy Research and Analysis (ACH-PRA) advises Nana Akufo-Addo and his government to consider getting rid of the 1% COVID-19 fee now that entry-point restrictions have been relaxed.
The CSOs urged governement to remove all COVID-19 tax you imposed on Ghanaians since it has burdened the citizens a lot.
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The Center contends that paying the tax when COVID-19 is no longer a pandemic or a threat to the country is not prudent.
This was followed by a popular request for the COVID-19 levy to be repealed when the country removed all COVID-19 restrictions at entrance ports around the country on May 20, 2023.
Dr. Thomas Anaba, the Executive Director of the African Center for Health Policy Research and Analysis, told Citi News that the government must repeal the COVID-19 tax.
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Dr. Anaba also expressed reassurance upon observing the implementation of crucial measures to effectively combat the COVID-19 crisis.
However, he highlighted the unexpected accumulation of loans and funding, exceeding the initially planned amount designated for the pandemic response.
Consequently, Dr. Anaba expressed the belief that the COVID-19 tax, along with other existing taxes, should be abolished by the government, as they no longer deem it necessary.
Dr. Thomas Anaba also requested the government to give Ghanaians a breakdown of the revenue earned since the tax’s implementation.
The Government must account to Ghanaians all the COVID-19 tax and revenues obtained. We will continue to urge and make every effort to guarantee that the authorities behave transparently and responsibly.,” the African Center for Health Policy Research and Analysis’s Executive Director commanded.
Limitations on COVID-19 at all entry points
At all points of entry into Ghana, COVID-19 limitations have been eliminated as of Saturday, May 20, 2023.
The Ghana Health Service made this announcement in a news statement written by Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, the organization’s director-general.
The GHS said unequivocally that the World Health Organization’s (WHO) pronouncement on May 5, 2023, that COVID-19 is no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concern had an important impact on their decision-making process.
As a consequence, the GHS has declared that some procedures, including pre-departure testing and testing at all points of entry, would no longer be required for all passengers.
COVID-19 incentives and other costs will be paid for in part by new taxes.
Going back to 2021, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister of Information, stated that the additional tax was intended to assist close the enormous budgetary shortfall brought on by the government’s COVID-19 costs.
He claims that the government borrowed around GH19 billion to pay for free energy and free water as well as other costs associated with fighting the COVID-19 outbreak, and that money must be paid back.
Source: CityNews
