There is pressure on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo not to extend the stay of the retiring Commissioner General Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Rev. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah.
It is gathered that Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah is due for retirement in October 2021 and there is already intense lobbying for him to stay on contract for another two years.
Some bigwigs within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are however kicking against any plans to extend his stay in office arguing that it would amount to the party shooting itself in the foot ahead of the 2024 polls.
Their argument is borne out of the fact that he has single-handedly championed certain policies that have pitched the business community against the government and party for which reason they believe there is a growing disquiet.
“Allowing him to stay even a day after his retirement will imply that the party is not prepared for power again after this term. Look at some of the policies that he has introduced which is generating series of controversies among the business community. When we are talking about helping local businesses to grow he has rather brought about issues strangulating them”, a party stalwart who spoke on grounds of strict anonymity revealed.
He indicated that Commissioner General appears to be engaging in acts that suit his paymasters than the general interest of the NPP for which reason the president should not give him a listening ear for an extension.
The latest agitations come on the heels of concerns raised by some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over some actions and strategies of the Acting Commissioner – General they indicate are making the government unpopular.
Agitated members of the NPP who are seething in anger blame part of the woes of the party in the 2020 polls to the locking up of shops by the GRA prior to the polls which they suspect significantly affected its electoral fortunes.
“It was so unbelievable that this was made to pass without concern even under a Covid economy with its attendant repercussions on the Election. Any wonder the NPP recorded the outcome they had?
“This was under the supervision and watch of Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah as Head of GRA. It is either the outcome of the Election does not scare the NPP, or they are tired of power. He has failed since becoming Commissioner General to bring on board any positive ideas on board. He has through his incompetence failed to rather strengthen the positive policies and programs the authority has put in place.
The once vibrant GRA under previous Commissioners General is gradually loosing traction amidst inability to maximize revenue generation due to the incompetence of this Commissioner General. Today the same man is emboldened to announce another policy of taxing Landlords over rent. I bet my last pesewa it’s one of the politically unwise ideas that anybody could moot especially at this time of our economy,” an angry NPP stalwart at Okaishi Kwame Gyasi told the media.
