Former Communications Director for the Dr. Bawumia campaign team going into the December 7, 2024 general elections, Dennis Miracles Aboagye says the National Democratic Congress (NDC) would have taken Ghanaians for a ride if they fail to cancel some taxes as promised in the 2025 budget reading.
The Ghanaian populace voted for the John Dramani Mahama administration based on the fact that the NDC promised to cancel some taxes, described as nuisance introduced by the former President Akufo-Addo era.
Some of the taxes the NDC promised to cancel include the betting tax, e-levy, COVID-19 tax, sanitation levy and the emissions tax.
According to him, the trust of the Ghanaian public would have been betrayed if the government fails to fulfill these promises in the upcoming budget.
He insisted that the Mahama-led administration must honor its campaign promises regarding tax cancellations, as Ghanaians voted with the expectation that these burdensome levies would be removed.
“We believe that for each of the things that the NDC, as a party, promised the people, and each of the pledges they made, they must fulfill them. Our job as an opposition party is to work with them to ensure that they keep their word.
“For tomorrow’s budget, I am looking forward to the cancellation of the betting tax, e-levy, COVID tax, and all other taxes they promised to cancel because that is the promise they made to the people of this country. They hold it as a responsibility to us to fulfill that promise, and we will hold their hands to the fire. I think that is what the opposition is meant to do.”
He assured that while the opposition would firmly demand accountability, they would not resort to disruptive tactics, unlike the approach taken by the NDC in the past.
“We are not going to be disruptive like how they did to us. The president must fulfil his promise because they told us at the time e-levy was introduced that they were going to cancel it. They described it as a draconian tax that imposed a lot of hardship on the people.
“It will be the grandest deception the country has ever experienced if the promise is not fulfilled. If a political party makes specific promises, assures you that if you vote for them, they will deliver, and then they fail to do so, then we are in trouble,” he added.
Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has already presented the 2025 Budget to Cabinet for scrutiny, ahead of its presentation to Parliament on March 11.
The Cabinet meeting, chaired by President John Mahama, unanimously approved the budget.
Dr. Forson emphasized the need for expenditure cuts due to the current economic challenges.
