Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP), Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, has criticised the rate and manner in which companies are being taxed under the government of Nana Akufo-Addo.

According to Agyapong, Ghanaian and expatriate businesses are all being affected as they cannot sustain their operations due to the high tax demands from the Akufo-Addo government.

The New Patriotic Party lawmaker is warning that there is a need to tailor taxing to suit ambitions of economic development. Rather, he asserts, taxation has been destructive.

Hon. Agyapong cited particular examples of companies that he felt were victims of an ongoing poor situation.

He is quoted as saying: "The government has to help these industries…local industries. What I observed was that almost all the factories lined up from Mankuazi to VALCO Roundabout have all collapsed.”

The Assin Central MP (middle) has been a vocal critique of some of the decisions undertaken by the President and Veep from his party
The MP revealed that his contacts in some of the companies had told him that the tax regime was to blame for many of their woes.

He cited one aluminium company that belonged to an Indian. Agyapong claimed that although the company employed Ghanaians, it has had to fold up over debts.

He went on: "I asked him why they were selling off the factories but in response, he told me they owe CAL Bank and they have to sell to go and pay their debt."

Of the government, he said: “Your aim is tax. You can tax the workers when you create a lot of employment. Right now you have taxed everything and companies are collapsing it does not make sense."

The MP has couched an image of a vocal critic of the governance of the party he belongs to. Recently, he complained about how he felt the government was out of touch with reality.