The Orange Girl Foundation has reminded Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, of his promise during the 2020 New Patriotic Party manifesto launch in Cape Coast to scrap the 20% luxury tax on sanitary pads if the party is given a second term.

Three years later the promise is yet to be realized.

The Foundation, dedicated to championing the eradication of period poverty, in a statement on Monday, August 7, 2023, said it believes Dr. Bawumia might have forgotten his promise due to his busy schedule with his digitalization drive

“We know that the Vice President may not be aware that due to the unaffordability of sanitary pads, some girls are forced to offer sex in exchange of it, whiles others would’ve to resort to the use of rags.”

“We were looking forward to hearing the finance minister address this during his presentation on the Mid-year budget, after Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin, had urged government to use that as an opportunity to eliminate taxes on sanitary pads, but disappointingly, it wasn’t mentioned,” excerpts of the statement read.

According to the Orange Girl Foundation, taxes on sanitary pads discriminate against a section of the population as it pushes them into poverty.

“As a gender advocacy group, we believe there’s the urgent need for government to address this canker,” the Foundation stated.

“If Kenya has been able to do it, Ghana can equally do it too. Like Dr. Bawumia’s coined slogan for his Presidential ambition, “IT IS POSSIBLE”,” the Orange Girl Foundation added.

Below is the full statement