Dr. Yaw Baah, the Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), expressed strong opposition to the imposition of a 15% value-added tax (VAT) on lifeline electricity consumers, stating that it is detrimental to the welfare of workers.
He questioned the government’s decision to burden already struggling workers with an additional tax, considering the prevailing hardships.
Dr. Baah voiced these concerns during the swearing-in ceremony of the newly-elected leaders of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNA) held at the GRNA head office in Shiashie near Gulf House, Accra, on Tuesday, January 17, 2024.
“This country is called Ghana, and with all the resources we have, now government doesn’t see anywhere else to tax; they are also taxing our electricity. Tomorrow they will tax our water, and we are not going to sit down for that to continue. That’s why I’m saying you are going to have a baptism of fire; we need to fight it until this thing is cancelled,” he told the new executives.
“How can you add this to the problems that we have in this country? The lifeline that they are talking about is just 30 kWh. It used to be 50 kWh; they have brought it to 30 and if you have two light bulbs in your house, two, and you have a television, if you leave your TV on for more than five hours, you will pay this tax,” he said, adding that everyone using a refrigerator will be paying as well.
“Why should this happen in this country? If we don’t resist this, tomorrow they will come and tax water. They will say there is a lifeline. This lifeline they are talking about is two bulbs, part of a television, maybe half of television; if you switch on your fridge, you will pay this VAT.”
Dr. Yaw Baah said the law imposing VAT on power consumption was promulgated in 2013 and wondered why it is only this government that is interested in its implementation.
“Why is it that we are allowing the IMF to dictate to us to implement it now? So Comrades, you have been elected at a time when there is a big fight on our hands, and we are going to fight it until we win,” he said.