Calls for the removal of taxes on imported sanitary pads misplaced - AGI

According to the AGI, "much as the waiver of duties/taxes on imported sanitary pads for our young women to make the pads more affordable may sound good, this will only end up completely wiping out the few local sanitary pad factories left in our country."

"Therefore, the Association is of the view that the call for the removal of duties on imported sanitary pads is misplaced," the AGI said in a press release.

The AGI further cautioned the government not to attempt to remove taxes on imported sanitary pads.

According to the group, any measure by the government to remove taxes on imported sanitary pads at the expense of local manufacturers will be detrimental to the economy.

The statement signed by Seth Twum-Akwaboah, the Chief Executive Officer of AGI said, “the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) wishes to caution Government that any policy measure that seeks to remove taxes on imported sanitary pads, at the expense of local manufacturers of same will be very detrimental to our economy."

The AGI mentioned that such public discourse ought to be reconsidered.

“The public discourse and social commentary suggesting to the government to eliminate import duty on imported sanitary pads need circumspection and ought to be reconsidered vis-à-vis local manufacturing, job creation and revenue generation for the government.

“The few local manufacturers of sanitary pads face imminent collapse and AGI calls on Government to intervene as soon as possible," the association said.

AGI is pleading with the government not to play to the gallery, but rather stay focused on its industrial transformation agenda by incentivising local manufacturers rather than imports.