The Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Dzifa Gomashie has strongly advocated for the removal of taxes on sanitary pads to make them affordable for Ghanaian adolescents and young girls.
She says the tax imposed on sanitary pads makes the product inaccessible to poor and vulnerable women and girls across the country.
Ghana’s government, under the Harmonized System Code, classifies sanitary pads as Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles’ which subjects them to a myriad of taxes including 20% import duty, 15% Import VAT, and other import statutory levies.
The Ghana Revenue Authority classifies sanitary pads as luxury items that attract a 20% import tax levy. This is an outdated and outrageous tax on women.
Speaking concerning the International Women’s Day celebration, Madam Dzifa Gomashie indicated that a complete removal of the taxes on sanitary towels will help the girl child in the country.
She stressed “Something should be done with the taxes on the sanitary towels; as we speak, it makes it very difficult for young girls in my constituent Ketu South to remain in school and benefit from free SHS because when they stay at home for one week, the boys are in school and there is no reason why really that we should have taxes on our blood”
Madam Dzifa Gomashie therefore asked for the total removal of the taxes on sanitary towels including that of companies producing sanitary towels in the country.
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Source: Eric Sekyi/ATLFMNEWS
