The Bolgatanga Central MP, Isaac Adongo, has rubbished arguments suggesting that the e-levy is the cure to Ghana’s economic challenges.
Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Adongo said, “it is greed that has brought us here.”
The MP’s comments came after President Akufo-Addo said passing the e-levy would be in the interest of the public.
Mr. Adongo said the President has lost the moral right to make such a call because “he has not demonstrated commitment to protecting the public purse.”
“How can e-levy stop the President from flying in chartered jets and wasting public funds… How does the e-levy stop Ken Ofori-Atta from using Databank to borrow for the state and collect fees on account of that?”
Mr. Adongo feels a lack of prudence from the government remains Ghana’s main challenge.
“If you have these people with this level of appetite for expenditure, how can GHS6.9 billion solve our problems?”
“Ken must withdraw his company for us to have the confidence that we are all in the boat together but we cannot be tightening our belt and they loosing their belt,” he added.
Mr. Adongo further said the government needed to be honest about the state of the economy.
“The economy is already gone. If they want us to have a solution, there has to be a national consensus, and they must begin to understand that Ghana belongs to all of us and that they are at their wit’s end,” he said.
About the e-levy
The E-levy is a new tax measure introduced by the government in the 2022 Budget on basic transactions related to digital payments and electronic platform transactions.
A charge of 1.75% will apply to electronic transactions that are more than GH¢100 on a daily basis.
The approval of the e-levy by Parliament has been fraught with many challenges, with the minority kicking against it.
The government has indicated that it will withdraw the bill from parliament, make some amendments and relay it.