London, Nov. 9, 2020 (AltAfrica)-Ghana has extended tax holiday for health workers to the end of the year as part of the incentives for the health professionals who have given everything to combat the deadly coronavirus

The health workers are not required to pay income taxes for the month of October, November and December.

Ghana President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made this known during his 19th televised address on measures taken by the government to stop the spread of Coronavirus in the country

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“I am happy to announce that the incentive package-(tax holday) for health workers has been extended to the end of the year. Again, all frontline health workers as defined by the Ministry of Health will continue to receive their additional allowance of 50 per cent of their basic salary for the month of October, November and December,” Akufo-Addo said.

The President first announced a three-month tax holiday for the health workers at the beginning of April 2020.

During his 13th address to the nation, Akufo-Addo said, “I know the implementation of this directive for the months of April, May, and June has been fraught with some challenges, caused, mainly, by the protracted discussions over the definition of who qualifies as “frontline health workers” in this context. I have, however, been assured that they have now been resolved, and payments will be effected from the end of June. I should reiterate that the insurance package for health workers is still in place.”

The tax holiday and other incentives. according to the President form part of the government’s commitment to ensuring that health workers are supported as they deliver essential services to the populace especially amidst the outbreak of Coronavirus.

“This is, in part, is due to the immense dedication and hard work being exhibited by our healthcare workers, who continue to care for those affected by the virus, and for the sick in general,” he stressed 

Meanwhile, 172 positive Coronavirus cases have been recorded among some international passengers arriving Ghana at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

With the imposition of stringent testing measures at the airport, we have, so far, been able to detect 172 positive cases amongst some 54,000 arriving international passengers. The airport authorities will continue to demand that passengers arriving in the country should be in possession of a 72-hour old negative PCR test, and we will continue to sanction airlines that flout this directive.

Akufo-Addo said, airlines must ensure that passengers arriving in the country comply with the 72-hours negative PCR test result directive.