Communication Team Member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Nana Owusu Banahene, says the party will unwaveringly protect the interest of Ghanaians whether they are in power or not.
The politician indicated that the NDC will never vote the e-levy bill into a law so far as Ghanaians are vehemently opposed to the idea. “Majority of Ghanaians are against the e-levy and we will keep fighting for the people and address their concerns. You don’t need to be in power to champion the cause of Ghanaians and we have resolved to do that,” he noted.
Ghana’s finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced government intends to introduce an electronic transaction levy (e-levy) in the 2022 budget. He said this was to “widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector”.
The proposed levy, which will come into effect on 1 February 2022, is a charge of 1.75% of the value of electronic transactions. It covers mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments and inward remittances. The originator of the transactions will bear the charge except for inward remittances, which will be borne by the recipient. There is an exemption for transactions up to GH¢100 (US$ 16) per day.
The opposition has vehemently objected the e-levy saying it is insensitive and will only cause suffering amongst tax payers and has pledged to see to it that it is not passed into a law.
According to Mr. Banahene, government refused to listen when they were warned against introducing the levy at its prevailing rate. “We told them the rate was high and asked them to meet us halfway but they refused and went ahead to hold the town hall meeting. The town hall was not as successful as expected and if you try to introduce a tax and the education doesn’t go well, then you suffer at the implementation phase.”
speaking to Don Kwabena Prah on Happy98.9FM’s Epa Hoa Daben political talk show, Mr. Banahene further cited the late President Jerry John Rawlings as a listening individual and leader. “When VAT was opposed, the late President Rawlings reversed the decision and reintroduced it 3 years at a reduced rate after intense consultation with stakeholders and that’s what we expect the NPP to do. They should learn from that.”
He believes the NPP is bent on pushing for the e-levy because they have run the economy down and looking for a quick way out.
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