The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says although the Minority’s injunction application on the E-Levy has been denied, it takes solace in the order of the Supreme Court to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to ensure they keep adequate records for a possible mass refund to all Ghanaians in the event that the Minority succeed with its substantive case.
The E-levy was passed on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 in Parliament.
After it was passed, the Minority Leader in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, and his colleagues; Mahama Ayariga and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, dragged the Attorney-General to the Supreme Court over the approval of the Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy).
They contend that Parliament did not have the required number of at least, half of its members present when the controversial tax policy was approved.
Read Also: Supreme Court in a unanimous 7-0 decision dismisses Minority MPs’ injunction case against e-levy
They therefore required the Supreme Court to declare that the said approval was contrary to law.
But during the process, Government announced that the implementation of the E-levy will commence on May, 1st, 2022.
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) also hinted that its structures had been revised and ready to ensure mobilization of the income.
On Tuesday, April 19th, 2022, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, together with Mr Haruna Iddrisu and Mr Mahama Ayariga again filed an application at the Supreme Court to injunct the implementation of the E-Levy pending the determination of its substantive case which is at the apex court.
On Sunday, May 1st 2022, the deduction of the E-levy took effect.
At the hearing of the application of injunction on the implementation of the E-Levy on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, by a unanimous 7-0 decision, the Supreme Court dismissed the application.
The Apex Court also directed the GRA to preserve the records generated since the levy’s implementation on May 1, 2022.
Reacting to this in a Facebook post, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the Minority will fight on despite the outcome.
“Though our injunction application was denied, we take solace in the order of the Supreme Court to the GRA to ensure that they keep adequate records for a possible mass refund to all Ghanaians in the event that we succeed with our substantive case.
For JUSTICE sake, we fight on!,” he wrote.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori