"Withdrawal of port taxes not approved by Parliament" | General news

Prime Minister Yaw Osafo-Maafo said all fees and charges applied in ports that do not have parliamentary approval would be removed in order to create a favorable environment for investors and investors. companies.

The measure, he explained, was part of the government's efforts to significantly improve the ease of doing business in Ghana.

Osafo-Maafo was speaking in front of a panel of leaders and residents of the Tema Traditional Zone in Tema Manhean to celebrate this year's Kplejoo Festival last Saturday.

Festival

The Kplejoo festival precedes the annual Homowo festival and, during the celebration, traditional priests and priestesses clean the various stools, offer sacrifices to the gods of the earth and pray to them for food and abundant fish.

The prime minister said that while the government was determined to create a favorable environment for all investors, he noted that a number of agencies located in the country's ports had arbitrarily imposed royalties and royalties without the approval of Parliament.

He explained that only Parliament could impose taxes, fees and charges and that, therefore, the government would take steps to ensure that all unapproved charges would be withdrawn until approved by the government. Parliament.

Unemployment

Mr. Osafo-Maafo congratulated the chiefs and the people of Tema for the sacrifices they made some 60 years ago by agreeing to settle in their current location to pave the way for the construction of the site. port of Tema and other industries.

Responding to a call from the Tema Traditional Council on the lack of jobs for young people, he proposed that a committee composed of representatives of the TMA, the Greater Accra Regional Coordination Council and its office be established. to determine how the Tema industries could set up a quota system to ensure that people who have sacrificed their land to create Africa's largest industrial city have jobs.

Corruption

The prime minister reiterated the government's commitment to abide by its election pledge to punish those found guilty of misusing state resources.

He stated that various investigations were ongoing and that anyone found guilty would be treated in accordance with the laws of the land.

"The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has come to power after fighting corruption, but we must hurry slowly.

It is not in anyone's interest to hurry to pursue people when you have not gathered all the facts.

The government respects the rules and laws of the country. Investigations are underway and I can badure you that anyone who has embezzled a Pesewa will be brought to court, "he said.

Development projects

Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr. Ishmael Ashitey; Mr. Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, Director General of the Tema Metropolitan Area, and Mr. Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, MP for Tema East, spoke in their speeches of the projects launched by the Government to ensure the development of Tema.

Projects include the construction of Bankuman roads in Tema Manhean, the supply of streetlights and the construction of schools.

Mr. Titus-Glover said the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has expressed interest in the reconstruction and modernization of the Tema Manhean Polyclinic to improve access to health care services. quality.

Tema Mantse, Nii Adjei Krakue II, expressed his thanks to the Prime Minister for his commitment to support the traditional council in its efforts to secure jobs for young people in the region.