We’ve made 103 achievements in 100 days – Bawumia

The Akufo-Addo-led government has recorded 103 achievements in its first 100 days, vice president Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has disclosed.

According to him, even though the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) did not make promises for 100, they can point to significant achievements thus far.

He said “Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government has been in office for 100 days now. Well, we did not make any promises for 100 days. We made promises for what we wanted to deliver to Ghana during our term in office.

“Notwithstanding that however, the government under the leadership of what I can say…our workaholic president…we can point to some significant achievements in these last 1oo days. Specifically, I’m going to mention 103 achievements of this government in these last 100 days.”

Speaking Monday at a Joy FM town hall meeting to discuss the government’s 100 days, he said the government   inherited “a very difficult economy.”

As a result, he said, many thought the government cannot fulfill the promises made by the president during the electioneering, but “thankfully by the grace of God we have been able to accomplish what many people thought was impossible”.

He said the government’s maiden budget saw Ghana moving away from an economy whose primary focus was imposition of taxes to an economy whose focus is on production.

“So we wanted to give incentives to the private sector, bringing down the tax rates in the country and encourage production,” said Dr. Bawumia to the applause of the audience.

He continued that the government among other  things reduced the National Electrification Scheme levy from 5 percent to 3 percent; reduced the public lightening levy from 5percent to 2percent, reduced the special petroleum tax rate from 17.5percent to 15percent.

Also, he said, the Akufo-Addo government as part of the 103 achievements,  replaced the 17.5 percent VAT to 3 percent and granted capital gains, tax exemptions on stocks traded on the Ghana Stock Exchange or publicly held securities approved by the Securities Exchange Commission.

“So, these were major tax changes and they are indeed achievements of this government,” he noted.