The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, says government cannot implement the E-Levy on May 1st, 2022 because of the application the minority has filled against the implementation of the E-levy.
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.
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 have 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 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.
Meanwhile, the hearing of the application of injunction on the implementation of the E-Levy was fixed for May 4th, 2022.
Read Also: E-Levy: We have lost three months collection already – Dep. Finance Minister
Speaking on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghana Nie with Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said,”We have gone to the Supreme Court with an application for an injuction and we have served the parties. The Lawyers can tell that when you file for an application of injunction successfully and you serve the parties, it serves as a stay. So with what we have done, the government cannot implement the E-levy on the 1st of May, if they do that, they will be in contempt of the Supreme Court.”
He also added that if the Minority sees that government does anything to implement the E-levy, they will instruct their lawyers to trigger a new round of processes to hold government, particularly, the Minister of Finance and GRA in contempt of Court.
He continued that, “With what we have done, between now and May 4th, 2022, the government cannot say it is going to implement the E-levy. They have to wait. There should be a stop. All government agents and institutions assigned should be stopped from going ahead to implement the unconstitutional E-Levy. They have to wait for us to go to court on 4th May for the hearing of the application for injunction. When we go to court on the 4th of May, whatever happens will inform the new action all the parties will take.”
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
