Ghanaians worried about how Gov’t is spending our money- Ako Gunn

Money
Mr Godwin Ako Gunn

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s Deputy National Communications Officer, Mr Godwin Ako Gunn says Ghanaians are not worried about paying taxes but are rather worried about how Government is spending the country’s money.

Prior to the reading of the budget, he was optimistic that government will introduce new taxes in addition to the already packed taxes which had already imposed on Ghanaians.

The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta is expected to deliver the 2022 national budget to parliament today, November 17, 2021.

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He is expected to touch on Agriculture, Energy, Roads, Health sector amongst others.

Speaking on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghana Nie with Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu, Mr Godwin Ako Gunn noted that currently, Ghana’s dept to GDP is about 80 percent, which means that the country can only have 20 percent to its development.

“Even with 42 percent, things were difficult and so if it is 80 percent now, it means that there is hardship. That is the fear of every Ghanaian, that is the fear of every businessman.,” he said.

He continued that,”If Government wants to be relieved and have a little freedom to do some things, then which ever way it can use to raise the GDP, it has to do it,” he said.

Mr Godwin Ako Gunn underscored the need for government to use the taxes judiciously in order to benefit all Ghanaians.

“It is not just about the GDP we want to soar up, but what is worrying most Ghanaians is the way government spends our money. Nobody ordinarily is against taxation, if I know that there is a new tax and it is supporting my hospital bills, and it reflects that government supports me on a particular thing, when you are paying the tax, you are not scared. But if we pay the tax and ask government to use it to pay debt, help develop agriculture and the roads, but it is not done and the President is going to use it to buy a new plane, when we have a private jet, it is scary,” he said.

For his part, former Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Small Scale Mining, Mr Charles Onuawonto Bissue said Mr Godwin Ako Gunn was not wrong to have said the government should use the tax payer’s money judiciously.

However, he said that was exactly what the NPP-Government is doing, pointing that the Pokuase interchange was constructed with the same amount the NDC negotiated for considering three tier, while the NPP used the same amount for four tier.

He also noted that about $260 million was used for the Circle Interchange, saying that was rather a waste of the tax payers’ money.

Ghana|Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
Writer’s email: [email protected]

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