Taxes are responsible for the high costs of foods in restaurants - SDK Dele

Ghanaian comedian and food blogger SDK Dele has expressed his frustration over the high prices of food at restaurants in Ghana, which he attributed to the taxes imposed by the government.

He made this comment on the Afternoon Show on TV3, where he shared his experience of visiting a restaurant owned by a popular actress in Ghana.

He said that he and his friends were complaining about the prices of the food, but the owner explained that it was not her fault, but the taxes that she had to pay lead to an increase in the prices of her products.

"I think it will be the taxes. If I remember, was it three, three or four years ago? I went to one of the actress's restaurants. So we went there and we saw the prices and we're complaining. And she came back and told us, it's not her, it's the taxes they're bringing.

"Because the GRA came there, came to review everything. So she had to add more, change the prices of all the food that she's selling and things. So sometimes it's not them. The taxes are the problem," he said.

His comments come amid posts on social media bemoaning the high costs of meals sold at restaurants. With some netizens questioning why a plate of food could cost as high as GH¢300.

According to the Ghana Revenue Authority, sales or a service by restaurants is subject to the standard VAT rate of 17.5%, plus a 1% COVID-19 levy.

SDK Dele said that he was not happy with the situation, and he hoped that the government would review the taxes and make them more favourable for the restaurant owners and the customers.

ID/NOQ

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