The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) is resisting any attempt to remove taxes on imported sanitary pads.
Parliament has been petitioned by some stakeholders for the government to reduce or scrap taxes on sanitary pads.
According to the petitioners, most young girls are not able to afford pads during their menses.
But a statement signed by Seth Twum-Akwaboah, the Chief Executive Officer of AGI said, “The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) wishes to caution Government that any policy measure that seeks to remove taxes on imported sanitary pads, at the expense of local manufacturers of same will be very detrimental to our economy.
“Much as the waiver of duties/taxes on imported sanitary pads for our young women to make the pads more affordable may sound good, this will only end up completely wiping out the few local sanitary pad factories left in our country. Therefore, the Association is of the view that the call for the removal of duties on imported sanitary pads is misplaced”.
The tax on sanitary pads has got the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin infuriated.
He says the next budget statement to be presented to Parliament by the Finance Minister must not contain tax on sanitary pads.
Describing it as a cardinal sin for Parliament to have allowed a tax to be imposed on sanitary pads, the speaker said the tax negative effect on the human resource development in the country.
During proceedings in Parliament on Thursday, June 22, the Speaker announced that he has received the petition and is paying serious attention to it.
He said “Why should we pass a law imposing taxes on sanitary pads? This is unconscionable, it s a cardinal sin, and the house shouldn’t have allowed it at all.
“You know the impact of that law on the human resource development and development of this country? It is immeasurable, that is why I suspended sitting and I attended to them. I have a copy of the petition and we have to take immediate action to prevent whoever is minister proposing that thing to take it off.
“The next budget it must not appear, it cannot be a tax. I take a very serious view on this matter.”