The Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL) has expressed disappointment over the decision of Organised Labour to suspended its planned demonstration over the 15 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) on Electricity.
Organised Labour had announced February 13, 2024 as the date for the street protest which was scheduled to take place in all the regional capitals but on Friday, the Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr Yaw Baah, announced the suspension of the impending demonstration.
Reacting to the news, the Secretary-General of GFL, Mr Abraham Koomson, said Organised Labour had betrayed some of its members with the suspension of the protest which could have sent a strong signal to the government to withdraw the tax policy.
“We are disappointed at how things are unfolding…Organised Labour looks more disorganised. We are not properly organised,” he told Akora Kofi Darko on TV XYZ News Friday.
Mr. Koomson said he did not know what happened to the initial plans of protesting despite an announcement from the government that it had suspended the policy for further stakeholder engagement.
He said the demonstration would have forced the government to withdraw the tax policy completely.
“I don’t know what happened. The taxes are plenty and they are collapsing businesses. We are paying about 18 different taxes, including ‘borla taxes’… the protest would have piled pressure on government to act,” Mr Koomson stated and added that he suspects some elements in government have been able to compromise the leadership of the labour group.
Meanwhile, Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr Yaw Baah, at a press conference in Accra emphasized their commitment to advocating against what he termed “unfavourable tax policies.”
Source: Myxyzonline.com
