Economic hardship under Akufo-Addo breaking marriages – Ato Forson

A Ranking Member on Parliament’s Finance Committee, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has alleged that a number hardship under President Akufo-Addo’s government is breaking a lot of marriages apart.

He explained that the current economic hardship has made it impossible for husbands to fulfill their financial obligations to their families which is creating problems in homes.

The Member of Parliament for the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam constituency believes the high cost of living has brought despair on the citizens as they cannot cater for their basic needs and that of their families.

“Mr. Speaker, the mood out there on the streets is hopelessness, the situation out there calls for urgent action, but unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, we are not seeing that”, he said during his submission on the 2023 budget on the floor of parliament.

“There’s a massive cost of living crisis. Mr. Speaker, it will surprise you to know that, marriages are collapsing because of this government. Marriages are collapsing because the cost of living is becoming so high due to where we find ourselves. Mr. Speaker, businesses are collapsing”.

He lashed out at the Akufo-Addo administration and described it as insensitive for the 2.5% upward review in Value Added Tax (VAT) which he believes would worsen the woes of Ghanaians.

“Mr. Speaker, this budget introduced 23 different tax measures, it’s from taxation to more taxes, as if you don’t care about the people of this country. If you want to introduce tax policy, you do proper analysis, taxes have galloped. They have increased the VAT by 2.5%, this VAT rate is the worst in Africa, no country in Africa has a VAT rate in excess of 20%. This policy rate must be thoroughly debated and scrutinised. This is not the time to heap more taxes on Ghanaians.”

Reading the 2023 budget to Parliament, Mr Ken Ofori Atta indicated that the government increased the VAT by 2.5 per cent which brings the tax to a total of 15 per cent.

According to him, the move is to help the government generate revenue to aid the construction of roads and other projects the government has in the pipeline.

But Ghanaians and businesses have expressed dissatisfaction in the increase in VAT citing the harsh economic conditions the nation is facing.