Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a representative for North Tongu, has questioned the government's intention to raise the Value-Added Tax (VAT).

On Thursday, November 24, 2022, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, announced an increase in the VAT rate for the next year presenting the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy in parliament.

But reacting to the announcement in a Facebook post, the opposition MP wondered how the current event is occurring under the presidency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who led a protest against VAT when it was introduced in 1995.

“Who could ever have imagined or predicted that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who led the fatal 1995 Kumepreko demonstration against the introduction of VAT under President Rawlings which tragically claimed the lives of Ahunu Ahonga & 5 others would today be increasing VAT by 2.5%,” he wondered.

The increase in VAT will enable the government to raise money to finance initiatives like road development, according to the minister of finance.

“Mr. Speaker, the demand for roads has become the cry of many communities in the country. Unfortunately, with the current economic difficulties and the absence of dedicated source of funding for road construction, it is difficult to meet these demands. In that regard we are proposing the implementation of new revenue measures. The major one is an increase in the VAT rate by 2.5 percentage points,” the minister said.

In 1995, Nana Akufo-Addo and other members of the New Patriotic Party led what is described as Ghana’s largest demonstration in history.

Five protesters were killed during a protest against the then-government of Jerry John Rawlings’ decision to introduce VAT. Unidentified assailants fired into the crowd of protestors.