Don’t approve 2023 budget – Irate Kumasi traders tell Parliament

According to the traders, the new measures announced by the Finance Minister will only worsen the cost of doing business and burden consumers.

They say the increment in the Valued Added Tax (VAT) by 2.5 percent will impact their operations negatively and clearly shows that the government is insensitive to the plight of traders.

In that regard, we are proposing the implementation of new revenue measures

But traders within the Kumasi Central Business District who recently closed their shops to protest what they called unfavourable tax policies and the high cost of doing business said the government is only burdening them with more taxes.

Charles Kusi Appiah-Kubi, the Executive Secretary of the Ashanti Business Owners Association, said the government should have introduced measures to soften the financial pressure on traders instead of introducing more taxes.

“We are very disappointed, and it gives us the impression that the government has lost touch with the realities on the ground

In a situation where businesses are collapsing, the government should have been conscious in introducing measures that would save businesses…it is our prayer parliament won’t approve the budget,” Mr Appiah Kubi said.