The Managing Editor for the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has questioned why government is bent on implementing the controversial E-levy.
Government introduced the Electronic-levy to undertake developmental projects.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday 17th November 2021, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Attah stated 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.
After the announcement, there have been agitations towards the passage of the levy.
In a latest development, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Ghana’s Minister for Communication, says the E-levy will go a long way to reduce Ghana’s dependence on loans and grants.
Speaking at the Government Townhall meeting on the E-levy proposal in Koforidua on Thursday January 27, the Ablekuma West Member of Parliament explained that if government will be able to finance projects, government would have to be financially independent.
Read Also: E-levy will reduce Ghana’s dependence on loans– Ursula
Commenting on the issue with host of Atinka FM’s AM Drive Kaakyire Ofori Ayim, Managing Editor for the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, asked the developmental projects the revenue from e-levy will finance when all the revenue generated from gold could not finance these same projects.
“We were told that the funds from E-levy will make Ghana independent and enhance developmental projects, I find it interesting, does it mean that it is only the funds from the controversial e-levy that can be used to develop the country? Ghana is the fifth largest producer of gold in the world and the first in Africa, what happened to all revenues generated from the gold business. Let’s talk about Cocoa, Ghana is the second largest producer of cocoa in the world, what happened to the revenue from Cocoa?, “ Kwesi Pratt asked.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu | [email protected]
