Carlos Ahenkorah, Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, who double as Chairman of Trade and Industry Committee in Parliament, have told Ghanaians who think they wouldn’t be able to pay the 1.75 percent e-levy not to make electronic transactions.
Mr. Ahenkorah was firm that the e-levy is not compulsory and all people who don’t want to pay are free not to use platforms which requires the payment of the Levy.
The e-levy imposition has been one of the controversial affairs in the 2022 Budget statement.
Many Ghanaians and the minority in parliament in particular argue the e-levy is penal, and have called on the government to review such advancement.
For instance, the minority group in Parliament has said it will kick against the e-levy in any form since it will inflict more hardship on the already struggling Ghanaians.
Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader, on Tuesday, 6th December, 2021, while making a presentation on the floor of parliament in reaction to the announcement made by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta on the 2022 budget, said the e-levy will hinder Ghana’s effort from growing the digital economy.
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Mr. Haruna said, “It is true that we engaged. We were part of the engagement, but is regrettably and unfortunately on the matter of e-levy we could not have agreement and concession”.
“We believe that the e-levy is punitive, and will undermine our quest to grow the digital economy and seeking to tax transactions”.
According to the MP of the Tema West, on a interview on Citi Tv said, the payment of these tax are not obligatory, so anyone who doesn’t want to pay should not use MoMo services.
” I have always been saying that the MoMo tax is a compulsory tax. You only pay when you use it, when you don’t use it, you don’t pay. If you think it is expensive, there is no other procedure for making payments that will be equal to MoMo. So what we are saying is that, the tax is targeted at those who have the ability to pay, not those who are receiving”.
He continued, “so if you are receiving it is okay to go and negotiate with the person who has gone to the bank to borrow money to be a MoMo agent to pay money out. Otherwise, keep the money on your phone, and you don’t owe anyone any money”.
znewsgh.com
