ガーナ：生理用ナプキンに税金あんまりかけないで！

　サニタリー・パッドとありますが、日本語でいえば生理用ナプキンですわな、確か。

BBC Ghanaians disrupt parliament over sanitary pad taxes 22 Jun 2023 Favour Nunoo

　どうもえらい税金がかかるというので―輸入税20％に消費税が12.5％―、なんだそれは私ら女は生きてるだけで人頭税でもかかってんのかそれは、と怒るのは尤もだ。

「A group of protesters attempted to storm Ghana’s parliament on Thursday as they demanded the removal of taxes on sanitary pads.

Security officers stopped the protesters, who were clad in red and holding placards, and made them to gather at the entrance of parliament.

They were chanting “we want free periods, don't tax my pad" and their presence disrupted parliamentary activity for a while.

The group said the government should remove the 20% import tax and 12.5% Value Added Tax on sanitary pads which have made them too expensive for many people.」

　が。製造業者は、輸入税撤廃はやめてくれ―という。外国製品との競争力がないらしい。国内産業の育成・維持のためにも、輸入品が下手に高くなり過ぎないためにも、なるほどそこそこ地元企業を生かさねばならぬ。これもまたご尤も。

「However, the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has warned the government not to scrap the import taxes.

It cautions that removing the taxes on imported pads would make it harder for local manufacturers to compete.」

　といって、こうも高価なままでは、生理の時に学生生徒が学校を休むかもしれず―労働者も厳しく―、解法は「地元企業が速やかに輸入品に伍する品質・価格で製品をだす」しかないな、これ。できてりゃもうやってる、といういつもの問題だ…。