Akufo-Addo Cannot Be Living Large And Imposing E-Levy At The Same Time …John Mahama

Former President John Mahama has indicated the National Democratic Congress (NDC) minority in parliament has his blessing to keep resisting the unpopular Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy).

In a Facebook post, Mr. Mahama points out that it is a contradiction for President Akufo-Addo and his appointees to be living large while imposing painful taxes on the Ghanaian people.

“The NDC remains opposed to the imposition of the numerous fresh taxes on Ghanaians at a time when the government is living large and unwilling or unable to trim expenditure, cut waste and check corruption,” Mr. Mahama wrote.

According to him, burdensome taxes such as the e-levy will only erode business capital, especially at a time when the government has “crowded out the private sector’s access to credit by its voracious appetite for borrowing.”

The Akufo-Addo government has said that it needs to have the e-levy approved in order to be able to raise money to shore up the country’s finances and fund government programs.

However, the Minority has said the levy is burdensome for an already over-taxed Ghanaian people.

Ghanaians have also largely dismissed the new tax. In several polls conducted by independent initiatives, an average of 80% of Ghanaians want the levy thrown out.

Last year, debates on the e-levy became so acrimonious, MPs of both sides of parliament exchanged blows.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Ibrahim Ahmed, has said that Parliament’s business committee has not scheduled the e-levy for consideration this week.