In what can be described as a fulfillment of the suspected monetary inducement, the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has thrown its weight behind the government’s unpopular e-levy which is purposed to tax mobile money transactions.
At the much-publicized press conference on Thursday, the Union’s executives said the e-levy is “a step in the right direction,” as it will help the government to raise money to pay off the country’s outrageous heap of debt.
Before the said press conference, Whatsup News had picked up reports from sources that some 18 members of NUGS had met with the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, who reportedly gave each of the GHC 15,000 to hail the government’s contentious policies captured in the 2022 budget.
True to the speculations, the NUGS staged a press conference that was dubiously praise-singing the abrasive content of Ghana’s 2022 fiscal policy.
”According to the government, e-levy is a new tax measure that will be applied only to the originator of transactions on electronic payments, which includes Fintech platforms, online banking, and mobile money platforms. The new measure, according to the government is aimed at raising funds to relieve the country’s debt situation which has escalated as a result of COVI-19 and its related challenges. So the decision to look internally to raise revenue to cater for certain aspects of the economy is a step in the right direction,” Mr. Emmanuel Yiadom Boakye, NUGS President said.
Mr. Boakye, is a known apostle of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) whom critics fear is being used to unduly politicize the student body in Ghana.
Meanwhile, it is emerging that it was not all the leadership of NUGS that got the alleged corrupt handshake from Ofori-Atta and so the Union front has been divided with the General Secretary of NUGS thinking in opposite direction to that of the NPP surrogate the NUGS Presidency.
Ahead of the presser on Wednesday, the General Secretary, Mr. Anthony has dismissed the explanations given by the President, Yiadom, that the press conference is aimed to advocate for a proposed YouStart programme and other areas related to the youth
He told Accra based Joy FM that, when the Finance Minister requested to have an audience with NUGS and other student leaders, the NUGS President deliberately excluded him and handpicked those he felt are more inclined to the government
“So the situation is that the Finance Minister asked for a meeting with the National Executive Committee of NUGS, which is comprised of the President, myself, the General Secretary, Finance Secretary, Secretary for Women’s Development and then the Bloc Heads. The Bloc Heads are USAG, University Students Association President, Health Students Association President, Teacher Trainee Association President etc. And what YB did was to eliminate the Pro NDC people, who are part of it, me especially, because I’m very vociferous”, Mr. Anthony revealed.
The General Secretary has since vowed to hold another press conference to counter the position that the President and other executives have taken.