As the 2024 budget presentation approaches on November 15, 2023, the Traders Advocacy Group Ghana is urging the government to remove unnecessary taxes like the COVID-19 levy and network service charge.
David Kojo Amoateng, the group’s President, questioned the logic behind the network service charge, emphasizing the need for its elimination.
Additionally, he suggested renaming the COVID-19 levy to address specific health concerns like dialysis, kidney, or cancer.
“We from the trading sector expect that even if the COVID levy will not go, maybe there will even change the name to dialysis, kidney or cancer,” he stated during an interview on November 13.
Meanwhile, Kenneth Thompson, CEO of Dalex Finance and Leasing Company Limited, warned of a potential economic downturn in 2024 if the government continues its current pattern of high expenditures.
He stressed the importance of focusing on protecting the poor while considering possible cuts in various expenses.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta mentioned that long-term relief measures for victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage will be considered in the 2024 budget.
After touring affected communities, he stated that the government have mobilized initiatives beyond just numbers and is considering real sentiments in the field.
He assured that social interventions would be addressed both immediately and in the upcoming 2024 budget.
