General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketiah says his party will abolish the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-levy) if it wins power.
He made this known when he joined members of the Coalition of Concerned Ghanaians who staged a protest to express their displeasure over attempts by the government to get Parliament to approve the controversial levy.
Mr. Nketiah who was quoted by Citi News said: “We are not against taxation. Taxation is for value addition. But we will not sit and watch the government to keep robbing us. The E-levy is not taxation, it is daylight robbery. The alternatives are there. Who in his right senses in this country asked the Minister for Roads to argue that we abolish the road tolls and convert the toll booths to toilets and washrooms?”
“The fire will keep burning so long as we have a government that operates with impunity,” he further stated adding: “We will abolish it within the first 100 days when we assume power. It is not taxation. It is daylight robbery. Taking people’s capital from their pockets.”
The group took to the streets of Ghana’s capital Thursday to pile pressure on the government to find alternative means to raise revenue to run the economy which has been impacted by COVID-19.
The protesters, some of whom wore red attires and held placards marched to parliament to petition its leadership to compel the government to withdraw the levy.
An opposition Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George said: “Can he [President Akufo-Addo] show us the value of the money he has borrowed and what he has used them for? That way, we will understand what GH¢6 billion can do. If you were not able to manage the monies well, how can we trust you with this extra amount?”
The government is hoping to generate over GH¢6 billion from mobile money and other digital transactions in the country.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH and News Agencies
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