Action /2015 Campaign: ISODEC Partners CSOs to Petition Gov’t on Tax Injustice, Accountability and Fairness

Hundreds of youth activists drawn from various civil society organizations in the country have embarked on a vigorous campaign dubbed ‘#Action 2015’ to mobilize 5 million youths in Ghana in order to influence Government decision ahead of the International Financing for Development Conference to be held in Ethiopia in this year.

http://www.modernghana.com/news/628496/1/action-2015-campaign-isodec-partners-csos-to-petit.html

 The move is equally aimed at putting pressure upon government to partake in the International Financing for Development Conference and to urge him to make the right decisions during the forum which he’ll be held accountable to later on.

Government is also expected to keep to his promises at all times and be transparent in his dealings to reduce tax injustice and fair funding of development projects by the same initiative.

The youth activists, on early Tuesday morning embarked on a peaceful walk with placards inscripted with various messages. They marched through the principal streets of Accra to the offices of the Minister of Finance, Hon. Seth Terkper, demanding his attention to a communiqué presented to him which clearly spelt out guidelines they think government can work with to help eschew corruption and tackle tax injustice in the country to its barest minimum level.

These individuals have raised concerns about various challenges that affect human beings in Africa for that matter Ghana on daily basis.

Among some of these challenges they claimed Governments needs to take proactive measures to solve includes issues of gender inequalities, women empowerment, poverty, climate change, economic injustice and many others.

They said it’s about time for African politicians to be to be steadfast and transparent in dealing with critical issues that bedevils the poor, the marginalized, women, the climate, tackle tax injustices and corruption and fight poverty and hunger.

The action /2015 youths strongly believes unless positive action is taken based upon common interest and the power of citizens which binds them around the world under ‘action 2015 banner’, politicians and leaders of nations will only live at the expense of the citizenry forgetting their plights.

Action/2015 is a worldwide coalition united by the idea that 2015 presents a real opportunity to change our future.

It is aimed at mobilizing 15 million people across the world with the aim to influence world leaders as they make final preparations for the post-2015 SDG summit in September and the UN COP21 Climate Change Conference in December.

According to Policy Analyst, Bernard Anaba, Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), main organizers’ of the ‘Action 2015’ campaign, who spoke with the media at the Ministry of Finance said, Africa loses 50,000 billion dollars due to tax injustice or illicit finance due to the actions of government, a huge amount which he believes could be channeled through the use of nation development.

This, he said was the reason why ‘#Action 2015’ campaign is being staged here in Ghana by youth activists to mobilize Ghanaian youths so as to influence the finance Minister  to take up the responsibility of arriving at the right decisions during the  International Conference on Financing for Development to be held in Ethiopia this year.

These decisions according to him, when taken by government on behalf of the country will inure to the benefit of Ghanaians, but the youth activists in the campaign  will have to hold government accountable to it in practical terms should in case they fail to deliver on their promises.

He disclosed similar campaigns are being organized by individuals and youth activist groups within African countries and other parts of the world to demand fairness and accountability from Government ahead of the three major upcoming world leaders’ conferences which is slated to take place this year.

One of such major international conferences the ISODEC’s policy analyst on action 2015, Mr. Anaba is urging government to participate in is the Third International Conference on Financing for Development which will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 13-16 July 2015.

The two remaining major conferences which the youths are equally calling on government to fully prepare in order to attend are the post-2015 SDG summit in September and the UN COP21 Climate Change Conference in December.

Mr. Benard Anaba calls for media support to make the action 2015 campaign a success since the media has tremendous power at its disposal to power to equally hold politicians accountable for their ill actions.

The event was organized by ISODEC and supported by Apple Project, Abibiman Foundation, Community and Family Aid Foundation (CAFAF) and 350 Ghana Reducing our carbon(G-ROC)

Below are Excerpts of Recommendations outlined by the Civil Society Organizations Action 2015 Campaign contained in a communiqué presented to the Finance Minister on the 7^th July, 2015.

We hereby recommends as follows:-

That Government of Ghana led by the Minister of Finance attends the 3^rd financial for Development conference in Addis Ababa and impress on his colleague leaders to step up their commitment to international development and financing;

That Government steps up their commitments and priorities funding essential public services like schools and hospitals and leave nobody behind by funding fairly;

That Government must ensure that investments are low carbon and the fight against climate change considering both adaptation and mitigation measures equally as they are taken seriously and funded;

That multinationals are made to pay their fair share of taxes while working with Government to end tax havens and illicit financial flows from Africa;

That Government continues to open up her books to the public to encourage transparency and deepen democratic processes for the benefit of all;

We make these recommendations as we work closely with Government and other civil society organizations to ensure beneficial re-distribution of the wealth of our time for sustainable development and a better future for all;

 We further commit to take necessary initiatives in our own sphere to rally the world behind this good course, believing that together as a global movement of citizens with a common interest, we raise our voices today but also for the generations of tomorrow.