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Despite the assurance from the Ministry of Finance that salaries passing through banks, savings and withdrawals are exempted from the 17.5 per cent VAT increment on banking services, a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) communication team, Davies Opoku has urged Ghanaians to rise up against the new service tax which he describes as a wicked initiative to cripple businesses. From next month, customers are likely to pay more for service rendered to them by a bank. This could mean that the cost of some services offered by the financial institutions could go up by 17.5 percent unless they decide to absorb the cost. Already some commercial banks have sent text messages to their customers about the tax taking off from next month. However some analysts are worried that the tax may affect efforts to encourage more people to save with the commercial banks. Executive Secretary of the Bankers Association, D.K. Mensah explained how the tax would work. �Assuming you buy an instrument from a bank, you pay it with your cedis but for doing that for you, I charge you a fee, let say 5 cedis on a product; government is saying that I should take another 17.5 percent on the fees to be paid into government chest.� But reacting to the new VAT tax, Davies Opoku averred on Okay Fm�s Ghana Decides program the directive is a great disincentive to those who want to save with banks as the country already have problems with the savings culture of its citizens. �This move will force people to close their accounts and rather save their monies at their homes��this will also endanger the lives of Ghanaians as armed robbers will be on the rise to terrorize them in their homes��.what is the motive behind the introduction of the 17.5 percent of VAT on the banking services? what is this wicked character from this government�?...it is a wicked move from this government and with immediate effect, every Ghanaian must rise up to prevent this wicked initiative�.if Parliament has accepted it, Ghanaians must not accept it,� he stated.