President Akufo-Addo has encountered the wrath of Ghanaians over his government’s failure to address the many challenges facing the ordinary citizen.
Amidst a hike in petrol prices, a surge in the prices of goods and commodities, the government has imposed a 10 percent withholding tax on all betting, games and lottery wins.
The new tax measure being implemented by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) took effect on Tuesday, August 15, 2023.
Some citizens, particularly bettors, are displeased and have decided to vent their spleen, raining all sorts of insults and curses on the president.
Engaging the media, aggrieved citizens questioned the use of the funds generated by the government through the collection of taxes.
“When you go to the port, they charge all sorts of amounts, and now super bet they are taxing. What do you use the money for. What do our leaders use the money for,” ,a middle-aged man vented.
He noted that it is unacceptable for the government to ruin the reputation of former President John Dramani Mahama and do worse with regards to governance after given the nod.
“They should tell us. We are not stupid. You told us Mahama was not good, and we agreed to vote for Akufo-Addo. Now Nana is here, and look at what he is doing.”
One of the citizens noted that the president is not to blame, but rather his cousin and senior member of the New Patriotic Party, Gabby Otchere-Darko.
“It is not Nana, it is Gabby Otchere-Darko,” a man said.
They, however, in unison, came to the agreement that leaders who have robbed the country will be judged by God Almighty.
“What wrong have we committed to the leaders. Tell us. We voted for you, we have the power. You came to beg us but after voting for you, you take us as your children.
Be careful. The day you leave this earth, God will judge you. All of you spending Ghana’s money, God will judge you,” they said.
Meanwhile, the Youth Wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has noted that it will picket at the Ministry of Finance, occupy government offices across the country, and later start and scale up nationwide conventional and unconventional lawful agitations as a measure of resistance to the bet tax measure imposed.