An associate professor at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo, has intimated that despite the numerous initiatives for the youth in the previous and current budgets, the youth remain disempowered.
Commenting on the budget read by the finance minister, Professor Gyampo stated that there are several interventions that when truly followed and if resources are made available, will improve the lives of the youth in the country.
“I spent all my 5-7 years researching about young people and the need for them to be empowered and so if there is an intervention that sort of offer support to young entrepreneurs, I will go for it. Most of the budgets have the initiatives to empower young people but at the end of the day, the youth remain the most disempowered within society”.
Professor Gyampo
Professor Gyampo intimated that the budget contains promises and pledges that are not always fulfilled. He added that often times when budgets are being presented, it appears it’s only the average minded person or the middle class that tend to pay much attention to it.
“We’ve been listening to budgets from time immemorial but one thing that is common is that it contains statements that the ordinary minds do not understand”.
Professor Gyampo
Professor Gyampo then questioned the effectiveness of the initiatives for the youth proposed by the government in the budget.
“I keep wondering. Support to the youth is good but will it be done and done well? How are these young entrepreneurs going to be selected? It’s crucial.”
Professor Gyampo
Scrapping of road tolls
Speaking on the scrapping of the road tolls, Professor Gyampo indicated that the challenge he has with the road toll is that, the toll booths are mounted at the entry points and at the tail end of roads that are so badly riddled with potholes but yet authorities kept collecting tolls.
“There have been several times that I got to toll booths and I told them that I wasn’t going to pay and they asked why and I said, you charge all these sums of monies and you look at the state of the roads and they are so bad and you still continue to take money”.
Professor Gyampo
He questioned if the tolls given to the authorities are truly used in fixing the roads because of the bad nature of such roads.
“I feel that the abolishing of the road tolls, the collection had problems because you’re not sure whether the amount of money is the same amount that goes to the state”.
Professor Gyampo
Prof Gyampo on E-Levy
Professor Gyampo touching on the E-Levy stated that although the government has adopted a smart move to widen the tax net, the introduction of the E-Levy will worsen the plight of loyal tax payers.
Professor Gyampo indicated that the smart move to widen the tax net will be done through the abolition of the road tolls and the introduction of the E-Levy.
He noted that even though those who evaded many taxes will now be brought on board, those whose “toil and suffering have nourished the politician and kept article 71 office holders” are going to pay more taxes via the E-Levy window.
