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General News of Sunday, 20 October 2019

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

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The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) claims it has intercepted a document that allegedly exposes a clandestine plan by the government to loot the assets of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

The intercepted document, a letter addressed to the Chairperson of Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu, according to the NDC, shows a secret process to restructure the shareholding of Power Distribution Services (PDS) on the blind side of Ghanaians.

The party therefore want Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to make a full disclosure on the planned restructuring of the PDS shareholding, which it says is proceeding without Parliamentary approval.

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The NDC also says it has evidence that the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) is training thugs at Asutuare to cause mayhem during the 2020 election.

Flagbearer of the NDC, John Mahama made the initial allegation when he was talking about electoral violence during a visit by the Ghana Journalists Association.

Mr Mahama said he prays the level of violence that marred the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election is not repeated on a nationwide scale.

In a rebuttal statement signed by Communication Director Yaw Buaben Asamoa, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) denied any knowledge or participation in the alleged ‘military training’ to disrupt the upcoming elections in 2020.

But the NDC in its latest statement signed by its Director of Communications Sammy Gyamfi said they have pictures and other pieces of indisputable evidence in their possession to prove former President Mahama’s claims were true

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Communications Ministry has ordered telecommunication companies in Ghana to cease the instant deduction of the Communications Service Tax also known as Talk Tax.

“To minimize the negative impact of the current mode of deduction of the CST, the Ministry of Communications hereby directs the immediate implementation of the following measure: CST should be treated the same way VAT, NHIL, GETFUND levy and all other taxes and levies imposed on entities doing business in Ghana are treated.”

The Ministry also noted that unused voice and data bundles purchased by subscribers should not expire but be rolled over with the next recharge.

This directive comes after government increased the Communication Service Tax to 9%.

The directive has however been greeted with mixed reactions with some experts saying it should be coming from the Ghana Revenue Authority and not the Communications Ministry.

Watch a playback as Samson Lardy Anyenini and his guests as delve into these issues and others that made headlines this week on 'Newsfile'.