The Majority Caucus in Parliament has alleged that former President John Dramani Mahama illegally granted tax exemption to cement manufacturing firm Dzata Cement.
Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said the former President, through executive authorization, designated some firms, including Dzata Cement, as strategic investors and offered them tax waivers without recourse to parliamentary approval.
He made the allegation while addressing a press conference on Thursday, May 30, 2024.
This was after he had slammed the Minority Caucus for opposing the government’s decision to industrialise the economy by offering tax exemptions to companies under the One District, One Factory policy.
“Dzata Cement was a company that benefitted from this unconstitutional and illegal tax incentives but we all know that by the imperative of the [1992] Constitution, it is only Parliament that can impose tax or waive taxation but some actions of the executive under certain rule of necessity, Dzata Cement was granted a tax waiver and we did not complain because we were told that Dzata Cement was a strategic investor.”
He also accused the Minority Leader, Dr Ato Forson of being the one behind the move by the Minority to oppose the waivers.
“The Minority Leader, Dr Ato Forson is leading that charge on behalf of the Minority in Parliament, and their main aim is to obstruct government business and to deny the people of Ghana the needed economic growth, which will result from businesses investing in the country and expanding their businesses.“
The government has been unsuccessful in its processes to secure approximately $335,072,712.13 in tax exemptions for some 42 companies under the One District One Factory initiative.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
