End The Long-Standing Taxes On Sanitary Pads

THE LEADERSHIP Club and the Child Rights Advocacy expressed its concerns to the government on the health implications on the adolescent girls and women who menstruate without the use of sanitary pad due to the high cost of purchasing. 

Following this development, the group called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and the Vice President H.E Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to end the long-standing taxes on sanitary pads.

In a press statement signed by the group, Mr Theophilus Apaw noted that currently the government charges 20% import tax, 12.5% VAT and additional 2.5% NHIL Rate on Sanitary Pad.

The statement indicated that the luxury taxes on sanitary pad have made the product very expensive for our adolescent girls and low-income house hold to afford, because they must choose between sanitary pad and feeding. 

It said sanitary pad is now sold for GH¢20.00 which has become a major problem for most school girls and women therefore prefers the use of rags and other materials which is hazardous to their health.

According to 

Most school girls stays away from school for 5days in a month, 20days a term and 180 days in an academic year losing a lot of learning days due to Sanitary Pads.

This situation has a serious negative consequences on the outcome of their life.

In 2014, Former President H.E John Dramani Mahama was deride and labeled “Pad Man"because Ghana got on board a World Bank pilot programme meant to distribute Free Sanitary Pad to school girls, 

Unfortunately, it maintained that his actions were politicized and didn’t meet the expectations of the citizens, adding that His Excellence the Vice President of the Land prior to 2020 elections on August 22nd, stated that the government

“Will eliminate import duties on sanitary pads to improve health conditions, particularly for adolescent girls. It is very important that we intend doing this to make sure we produce sanitary pads in Ghana, until that happens in their numbers, we are going to eliminate import duties to bring down their cost," the statement stated.

The statement,therefore calles on the Vice President and Presidential candidate hopeful to add his voice to help scrap the taxes on sanitary pads.