History is replete with all manner of politicians who created a cause célèbre (a controversial issue that attracts a great deal of public attention), and then rode it like a rampaging horse to political power. And history is similarly replete with politicians who gifted their opponents the cause célèbre with which to take them out of power. One such cause célèbre seems to have cropped up naturally (unnaturally?) around the “Fix the Country” campaign, and its counter-campaigners, on the recently introduced tax increases in Ghana, which has led to increments in petroleum products and telecommunication services. The ‘Fix the Country’ campaigners insist that these measures are causing too much hardship. The government recently imposed taxes on petroleum and communication services to pay for the cost of fighting Covid-19 pandemic.
“Fixing and Unfixing It”- Unpacking the Lazy, Unproductive Politicking of Ghana Listen to article
It is a truism that in politics, creating mass hysteria can be beneficial by way of the ballot box. If one can find an emotionally charged theme, sum it up with a few catchphrases and put it on the radar of the mass consciousness, one can ride it to the highest political pinnacle.
Such a politician can use this emotionally charged issue like the red flag of a matador waved in front of a charging bull, and lure the bull (the public), literally to the death.
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BY: Political Desk Report
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Former President John Dramani Mahama, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the People’s National Convention (PNC) have urged Ghanaian workers to remain resolute in their work in order to speed up development.
In separate goodwill messages to mark May Day last Saturday, the two political parties acknowledged the challenges confronting workers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic difficulties.
The separate messages were signed by the general secretaries of the NDC, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, while that of the PNC was signed by Ms Janet Asana Nabla.
Criticisms
In his May Day message, former President Mahama criticised the government for what he described as worsening the plight of the citizenry with the introduction of new taxes.
Newly introduced taxes will worsen plight of citizens – Mahama LISTEN
According to him, the taxes “will worsen the plight of the citizenry”.
The government has introduced some new taxes to help it generate additional revenue.
The taxes include the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy Act, 2021 (Act 1068) which imposes a one percent levy on the supply of goods and services made in the country other than exempt goods or services, the Financial Sector Recovery Levy Act, 2021 (Act 1067) which imposes a five per cent levy on the profit before tax of banks and the Energy Sector Levy (Amendment) Act, 2021 (Act 1064) which imposes an Energy Sector Recovery Levy of GH¢20 pesewas per litre of petrol/diesel and 18 pesewas per kg on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and a Sanitation and Pollution Levy of GH¢10 pesewas per litre of petrol and diesel respectively.