Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa says President Akufo-Addo has failed to live up to his promise of reducing the amount of tax waivers granted to companies in the country.

According to him, despite the President's pledge in his 2019 State of the Nation Address, Members of Parliament are being called upon everyday to approve more waivers.

“If you look at the 2019 state of the nation address, by his excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, he promised that he will do everything in his power to reduce the quantum of tax waivers that Ghana continues to give out to so many companies," he said on Wednesday.

His comment comes on the back of some recent tax waivers that have been approved in parliament including the GH¢3.2 million tax waiver for Messrs Bluegrass Group.

The company has been awarded the contract to supply some 853,009 units of Kapek Scientific Mathematical Instruments to be distributed to Senior High School students about to write their final year papers.

According to government, the procurement of the Kapek branded Scientific Mathematical Instruments will combat examination malpractices which had been aided especially by the use of mathematical sets and calculators in examination halls by candidates in all WAEC examinations.

However, the Minority in Parliament has argued that the sole-sourced contract to M/S Bluegrass Group Limited without the participation of other local companies was a terrible decision on government’s part as they believe there was no value for money in the deal.

Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, MP for North Tongu said the many recent tax waivers were stunting Ghana’s development.

“And unfortunately, since making that pledge in the 2019 state of the nation address, the president has not lived up to the pledge he made, and every day we go to parliament, we are called upon to approve these tax waivers.

“We’re concerned about how it is leading to massive revenue losses and we will not get the kind of revenue we need to develop this country if we continue on this trajectory,” he bemoaned.