Parliament has approved 174 million cedis as waiver on income taxes for frontline health workers. The waiver covers personal emoluments for the months of July, August and September.
The approval is in line with President Akufo-Addo’s promise to give frontline health workers additional allowances of 50% and exempted income per month.
The tax incentive was designed by government as a token compensation for frontline healthcare workers, to encourage them to continue to make sacrifices in caring for those infected with COVID-19.
According to a report by the Finance Committee, the number of health workers who fell within the frontline category for the months of April, May and June 2020 was 6091, 7418 and 7196 with corresponding expenditure on the additional allowances being 6.5 million, 7.5 million, and 7.6 million for the month of April, May and June 2020.
Presenting the Finance Committee’s Report, the Chairman, Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah, said personal emoluments are estimated at 168 million and additional allowances at 5 million cedis.
Meanwhile, the Minority is demanding answers from government on those captured on the beneficiary list as they allege, BNI officers are included in the list.
In a reaction, the Vice Chairman of Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr. Ayew Afriyie, said there was a difficulty identifying frontline personnel but that has been addressed.
