E-levy: We underestimated resistance – Majority Leader

The Majority Leader in Parliament, Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has said government underestimated the opposition the proposed government electronic transaction levy was likely to face during it introduction in the 2022 budget.

He made the comment in an interview with Media General’s TV3 sighted by GhanaPlus.com.

“Maybe, we underestimated the resistance. In any human institution people really will not come out openly to embrace the imposition of taxes, so we thought that yes, there will be some resistance it being a new levy or tax that we are going to introduce, but maybe we underestimated the strength of the resistance.

“Maybe, what we are doing now, I know some of my colleagues are out in various regions and constituencies trying to explain matters to their constituents, with hindsight maybe, this ought to have preceded the introduction of the E-levy. Perhaps, next time we will do better.

“But as I said we are still engaging and I want to believe that we will certainly bring this to successful completion.”

E-Levy brouhaha

A proposed electronic transaction levy (e-Levy) announced by the government of Ghana in it 2022 budget  in November last year have been met wit stiff opposition from Ghanaian, Minority Members of Parliament inclusive.

Parliament is currently divided over the tax seeking to charge Ghanaians some 1.5% on all electronic transactions above ₵100 and applicable to senders only.

Initially pegged at 1.75%, government has noted some projected ₵6.9billion is expected to be generated with its implementation and will be used to fund YouStart, an initiative to support young people to venture into entrepreneurship.

However, since its introduction the e-levy has divided the country, its citizens as well as its parliament.

Already, two physical fights have been recorded in Parliament all because of the e-levy.

Once enviable friendship between the Speaker and the Majority leader of Ghana’s Parliament also seem to have been affected by the proposed tax even before it is passed.

Again, series of demonstrations have been held against the levy, one of such, the Yentua Demo was held today in Accra.

Source: GhanaPlus.com