Member of Parliament for the North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has lambasted President Akuffo-Addo for maintaining the COVID-19 levy after lifting the COVID restrictions.
President Akuffo-Addo indicated in his last address to the nation that the COVID levy will continue to exist despite the fact that the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that COVID-19 is no longer a pandemic.
“The COVID Health Recovery Levy that was introduced to help fill some of the expenditure holes might not be the most popular tax, but I entreat all of you to bear with us. Let me make it clear that COVID expenditures, essentially unplanned, have been subject, at my instigation, to audit by the Auditor-General and are going through parliamentary processes. We all deserve to be reassured that the crisis was not used as a cover for corrupt practices,’’ the president added.
Ablakwa took to social media to express his disappointment about the president’s decision not to scrap the levy.
“Ghanaians also expected the awful E-levy to be abolished since his government has opted for an IMF bailout,’’ Ablakwa stated in his post sighted by 1Family Radio.
‘’President Akuffo-Addo must be sincere and sensitive to the plight of suffering Ghanaians,’’ he added.
“I hope all parliamentarians will come together in the national interest and take advantage of the mid-year budget review to expunge those two obsolete taxes.’’
“As President Akuffo-Addo continues to let Ghanaians down, Parliament cannot afford to fail. May we be the people’s saving grace,’’ he stated.
Source: 1Familyradio