The government has justified the introduction of three levies in the 2021 budget statement.

The Energy Sector Recovery Levy, Covid-19 Health Levy, and Sanitation and Pollution Levy are some of the revenue generation measures announced by the Caretaker Finance Minister Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.

In the three-hour-long address, the minister also announced over 5% financial sector levy to cater for the banking sector clean-up. Road tolls will also see an upward adjustment.

The Minority through its leader Haruna Iddrisu accused the Akufo-Addo administration of hiding behind the Covid-19 pandemic for its failures in one breath but seeking to profit from it in another.

But the Deputy majority leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, however, hailed the budget describing it as a very progressive budget.

Speaker to GhOne News Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah argued the levies are aimed at aiding the country’s recovery from the pandemic

But former deputy Finance minister and MP for Cape-Coast Ricket Hagan says the government’s excessive borrowing has compelled it to look internally thereby squeezing Ghanaians.

Minority spokesperson on Finance Cassiel Ato Forson has, however, rejected the reasons given for the introduction and increment of the levies.

According to him, Ghanaians will be worse off now than during the height of the pandemic.

Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM