By Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has accused members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of economic sabotage.
The Majority side attempted to advance $350 million in tax waivers, but their efforts were thwarted by the Minority, who have consistently opposed these measures.
According to Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, his side opposed the tax waivers because they believe these waivers would benefit government insiders.
“Our concerns still remains with the tax exceptions, we strongly believe that this giveaways should be curtailed. We strongly believe that these giveaways of tax exceptions is unwarranted and we believe that the time that the country is bleeding, Ghana should not be giving such give always to cronies businesses,” he said.
Dr. Ato Forson assured the public that the Minority side of the House is dedicated to protecting the public purse and ensuring that proper procedures are followed.
These remarks were met with strong reactions from the Majority Leader. Mr. Afenyo-Markin stated that if the MPs were genuinely committed to the country’s welfare, they would set aside partisanship on crucial issues.
He argued that the government’s intention was merely to reduce the tax burden on businesses.
“We can do better than this as parliamentarians, we can do better than this as a political class, we can do better that this as people who have been elected to lead our people.
“Mr Speaker, we should have our disagreements but to destroy the business-life of people who have entrusted their businesses into our economy who believe in the policies and say that we are not going to pass when the committee of parliament has done its work and committee of Parliament has recommended to the plenary and the plenary says by certain operations politics we are not going to take them,” he said.
