You missed an opportunity to reduce taxes - John Jinapor to govt

• The MP for Yapei-Kusawgu has said that he is unimpressed with the government's Mid-Year Budget Review

• Ken Ofori-Atta had stated that he will not demand more to take care of the rest of the year

• John Jinapor, unimpressed with that move, explained that the government failed to use the opportunity to reduce taxes

John Jinapor has expressed disappointment in the Mid-Year Budget Review presented by the government, stating that there was the need for it to have scrapped some of the new taxes it introduced earlier this year.

Explaining that the government deserves no pat on the back for making a case that it does not want more money, he added that they missed an opportunity to win the people closer to it, reports citinewsroom.com.

“Tell me one single relief that the Minister mentioned in this budget? He has already introduced nine taxes this year in the main budget, to the extent that they are even taxing LPG.

"So, rather, we should have been expecting that in the mid-year review, the minister will come with something that will cushion the Ghanaian after imposing all this plethora of taxes, but he comes here to say no, I still want you [Ghanaians] to suffer. I am maintaining the taxes. Where is the clap for him? For doing what?” the Yapei-Kusawgu legislator quizzed.

During his address in Parliament yesterday, Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance minister, stated that “I am not here to ask for more money. I have not come to ask for more taxes. I have come to update the House on the performance of the economy for the first half-year of 2021, and our plans for the unexpired term of the year, consistent with section 28 of the PFM Act.”

This, however, did not impress the members on the side of the Minority in Parliament, with a number of them stating that even without asking, the government will still spend.