A former Member of Parliament for Ayensuano, Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye has advised the NPP-Government and the Majority in Parliament not to allow the opposition and Minority in Parliament to dictate to them how to go about the E-Levy when they have the numbers to pass it.
According to him, the E-levy when passed will help develop roads and other projects, hence the need to pass it.
The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Attah who announced the introduction of the E-Levy said it will be used to undertake developmental projects, adding that the tax will widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector.
He added that Electronic transactions covering mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments and inward remittances will be charged at an applicable rate of 1.75%, which shall be borne by the sender except inward remittances, which will be borne by the recipient.
Since the E-Levy was introduced, the Minority in Parliament have rejected it.
For the public, many are not happy with the potential charges when if finally passed.
Recently, the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori Atta stated that government has engaged the Telcos on the controversial E-Levy and the Telcos agreed to cut down their percentage on transactions by 0.25%.
In a latest development, government proposed that the E-Levy is reduced from 1.75% to 1.5% but the Minority again rejected this proposal, saying they do not want it to be passed at all.
Read Also: E-levy: We don’t care about 0.25% cut by Telcos- Angry Momo Agents
Speaking on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghana Nie with Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu, Mr Samuel Ayeh-Paye said projects including roads, hospitals that would be done with monies from the E-Levy should be named after it (e-levy) so that people will see and appreciate it.
For now, he said the public education was not so important, adding that the Majority should use its number to pass the E-levy and start its implementation and later educate the public on it.
He was of the belief that when it is passed and implemented, people will then understand it and buy into it.
“We, the NPP have no option; if you do everything concerning its education and you do not get your numbers in Parliament, are you going to use referendum to pass it? When a government in power allows the Minority to dictate to it, then there is a problem. We should not allow them to dictate to us,” Mr Ayeh-Paye added.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
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