The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has expressed gratitude to the Atta Mills-led NDC government for maintaining tax levels for drivers in the 2011 budget presented by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Kwabena Duffour. Presenting the budget on the floor of parliament the finance minister said the presumptive taxes for Vehicle Income Tax was last reviewed in 2005. According to him, to improve fairness with the payment of personal income tax and other income taxes, the government proposed an upward revision of presumptive vehicle income tax rates. This he said is not a tax on drivers as is erroneously believed. Transport owners will have the right to claim the advance tax paid as credit. He emphasized that “taxis” and “trotros” are, in line with the government’s social democratic ideals which are pro-people, exempted from the new vehicle income tax rates. Responding to this on Asempa FM’s Saturday’s political talk show “Kukurantumi” which was hosted by Kojo Asare Baffour Acheampong, the Greater Accra regional chairman of GPRTU, Alhaji Antiaye Eesah Tetteh, said the decision met the expectation of commercial drivers. According to him, they have been expecting this for the past years but couldn’t believe when Dr. Kwabena Duffour announced that they have been exempted from next year’s tax increase. He said this will also help the country as a whole since tax increments affect the nation as a whole. Story By: Akwasi Nsiah/Asempa FM/Ghana