The Western Regional Communication Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Richard Kirk-Mensah, has described the town hall engagements organized by the government on the e-levy as a waste of money.
He believes the government already knows the position of Ghanaians on the e-levy and deems it unnecessary for it to embark on these town hall engagements in an attempt to change already made minds.
According to him, the same songs which have been sang in Parliament and in the media are the same songs being sang at these town meetings. “They just travelled to Takoradi to waste the tax payer’s money on something which no Ghanaian is willing to accept.”
“The town hall meetings on the e-levy are waste of tax payers’money, because you can go to every town in the country and ask very Ghanaian their position on the e-levy. They will all give the same answer. They will tell you they’re not ready for the e-levy,” he told Happy98.9FM’s Don Kwabena Prah on the EpaHoa Daben political talk show.
Taking Ghanaians down the memory lane, Mr. Kirk-Mensahpointed out that, “this was the second time the people of Ghana had collectively opposed a public tax. The first happened during the tenure of the late President Jerry Rawlings and was led by the ruling President Akuffo-Addo. “President Akufo-Addo led Ghanaians across the country to oppose the VAT rate and this was revised. It is time Ghanaians come together to oppose the e-levy and say it is a non-starter,” he said.
Mr. Kirk-Mensah expressed his surprise at government for wanting to force the people to accept a tax which they are against. “Ghanaians don’t want the e-levy and have boldly spoken against it so why waste tax payers’ money going round educating the people when their minds have already been made up?”
To him, the NPP led government lacks ideas and that is why they are insistent on pursuing the e-levy. He advised government to put the e-levy aside and look at different avenues of raising money.
The government on Thursday, January 27, 2022, began its series of town hall meetings on the controversial Electronic Transactions Levy (E-levy).
The exercise forms part of engagements the government has planned with the aim of explaining the importance of the E-levy as well as take feedback and inputs from relevant stakeholders on the levy.
The government also says the feedback will inform it on the implementation of the 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.
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