A/R: Customers left stranded as business operators close shops over high taxes

Scores of customers at the Central Business Districts (CBDs) of the Kumasi metropolis in the Ashanti Region were left stranded as business operators declared a strike over high taxes. The business operators on Monday, October 10, 2022, declared a sit-down strike by shutting down their shops in protest of taxes on the products they sell. According to business operators, the 18 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on products they sell is affecting their levels of income. Speaking in an interview with the host of Ghana Yensom morning show, Emmanuel Quarshie (The Hitman) on Monday, October 10 2022, one Frank, a business operator in the Adum area, said the skyrocketing taxes are pushing them out of business. He explained that because of the taxes, it has become difficult to even price their goods. He said in the wake of the taxes, people are not buying thereby making business operations in the metropolis difficult. "The customers come and ask about the price and go without saying a word," he said. "We declared the sit-down strike for the relevant authorities to come to engage us on the way forward on some of these taxes," he shared. According to Frank, the VAT is not helping their business development.