Accra, Feb. 10, GNA – Members of the Coalition of Concerned Ghanaians on Thursday presented a petition to Parliament in opposition to Government’s 1.5 levy on electronic transactions.
The presentation of the petition followed a four-hour “Yentua” street protest by members of the Coalition, mainly activists of the National Democratic Congress, market women, okada riders and some political groupings.
The protesters, in hundreds, marched from Obra Spot in Accra through the National Theatre to Parliament House with placards some of, which read: “We won’t pay the E-Levy,” “The cedi has escaped your cells,” “Fix the cedi depreciation now,” “Akufo-Addo have mercy on Ghanaians” and “We would not accept the E-Levy in any form or shape.”
Mr George Opare Addo, National Youth Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who presented the petition, said the E-Levey would add to the “existing hardships” Ghanaians were facing and asked the Government to turn to the extractive industry to generate revenue.
He said the Government could revive the economy if it took steps to block loopholes in the extractive sector.
Mr Opare Addo said the Government would be “insensitive” to the citizenry if it implemented the E-Levy and urged it to use resources prudently.
He said they would continue to demonstrate until the Government dropped the levy.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader of Parliament, who received the petition, commended the demonstrators for a peaceful protest and stated the resolve of the Minority to reject the levy.
He said once the people who elected them to office did not support the levy, they would also do their best to stop its passage.
Mr Bernard Mornah, a former Chairperson of the People’s National Convention, called on the Government to cut down on its expenses and not to “exploit suffering” Ghanaians through E-levy.
The 1.75 per cent E-levy has generated controversy since it was announced in the 2022 Budget and has sharply divided Parliament, with the Minority vowing to vote against its passage into law.
The Government has, however, announced its intention to reduce the proposed 1.75 percent to 1.5 percent and re-present it before Parliament.
The levy is to allow the Government to generate revenue from electronic transactions, including mobile money.
The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has explained that the E-levy is a “deep request” from the President to create jobs, build more infrastructure to improve the general well-being of Ghanaians.
He said the current situation where only a percentage of Ghanaians paid taxes was not favourable to realising the rapid socio-economic aspirations of the country.
“The E-levy will make all Ghanaians responsible in paying taxes and reinforce their moral rights to demand for more social amenities and development,” he said at a Town Hall Meeting on the Levy, at Takoradi, last week.
The E-levy, he emphasised, would help boost education delivery, strengthen internal security, health care services, as well as other government flagship programmes, especially the “YouStart” programme.
Less than 10 percent of Ghana’s 30.8 million population pay direct taxes.
GNA