The Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin is fuming with rage at the imposition of taxes on sanitary pads.
According to the Speaker, there’s an urgent need for the government and parliament as a body to correct that anomaly.
The criticims of the Speaker follow a petition by various civil society organizations calling for the removal of taxes on sanitary pads.
CSOs storm Parliament to demand removal of taxes on sanitary pads
Speaking on the floor of Parliament moments after receiving the petition, a visibly-angry Bagbin promised swift action to address their concerns.
“The issue they raise is a very serious issue, why have we passed a law imposing taxes on sanitary pads? This is unconscionable, it is a cardinal sin. The House shouldn’t have allowed it at all. You know the impact of that law on human resource development is immeasurable.”
“I have a copy of the petition and I am going to take immediate action to prevent whoever is the minister proposing that thing to take it off. The next budget it must not appear, it cannot be a tax.”
He also assured that the taxes placed on sanitary pads will be removed during the consideration of the next budget, stating firmly that it cannot be a tax.
Removal of taxes on imported sanitary pads will sink economy – AGI
The caution by the CSOs follows assertions by the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) that the removal of taxes would have severe negative consequences for the economy.
The AGI warned the Akufo-Addo government against removing taxes on imported sanitary pads, stating that such a move would be detrimental to the economy and local manufacturers.
