2025 Budget: NPP cautions government against new taxes, demands fulfillment of NDC’s tax abolition promises
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has cautioned the government against introducing new taxes, citing the NDC’s promise to abolish taxes implemented during the NPP’s tenure.
According to the MP for Walewale, Dr. Tiah Abdul-Kabiru Mahama, the NDC promised to scrap four specific taxes: emission tax, COVID levy, betting tax, and E-levy. He emphasized that Ghanaians expect these taxes to be abolished as promised.
“We argue that there should not be new taxes the Ghanaian people were told that the NPP were imposing nuisance taxes and the taxes were burden to the Ghanaian people and that when the NDC games to power, they will do away with the taxes. They mentioned four taxes: emissions tax, COVID levy, betting tax, and E-levy. These taxes, the rational expectations of every Ghanaian is that they recoup”.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, 11th March, 2025, the MP for Walewale, Dr. Mahama, said Ghanaians will be disappointed in the NDC should they go contrary to what they promised in opposition.
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The Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, will today, March 11, present the 2025 budget statement in parliament.
A clear policy guideline for the next four years on how the country will be steered.
The NPP is also concerned about the potential reintroduction of Value-Added Tax (VAT) on real estate, which was abolished by the previous government. Dr. Mahama says this move will be disingenuous to the Ghanaian people.
“We know that VAT on real estate was abolished by the previous government, and I read the budget and found out that there is a reintroduction of real estate VAT and taxes. I will find it to be disingenuous to the Ghanaian people,” he noted.
The party also demands transparency regarding Ghana’s debt standing and expects the government to rationalize its expenditure.
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Dr. Mahama emphasized that the budget reading by the Finance Minister is a day of reckoning to prove to Ghanaians the accumulation of debt claimed by the NDC.
“Today is the day of reckoning for the Finance Minister to come out with the numbers to satisfy the Ghanaian people or to justify the position they have long held. I expect the finance minister to give us concretely and verify data on our debt standing, whether in the energy sector, road sector, or goods and services.”.
He added that he expects how the NDC will rationalize the government’s expenditure and make expenditure align with the government’s economic and fiscal policy.