E-levy is our solution to unemployment in Ghana

Member of Parliament (MP) for Essikado-Ketan, Mr Joe Ghartey says the controversial E-levy will be the solution to Ghana’s unending employment problem.

On Wednesday, November 17, 2021, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance, on behalf of the government, presented the 2022 budget, indicating a 1.75 per cent charge on all electronic transactions.

The E-levy charges will affect all online transactions such as mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchants and inward remittance across the country.

Following the 2022 budget presentation by the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the announcement of the E-levy has been the topic of discussion as some citizens express dissatisfaction whiles there have been arguments between specialists concerning it.

Speaking on the topic on Friday, January 28, he indicated that the government has identified ways of helping the youth through the unemployment endemic by creating financial opportunities for them to work.

He said, “The government has identified one of the ways of helping the youth and it is to create some kind of financial opportunity for them to work through the E-levy.”

According to him, the E-levy is a game-changer that will broaden the tax net, hence producing enough revenue for government projects such as job creation and implementation of policies.

“There are some communities that don’t even have one kilometre of tarred road, the government needs this money for infrastructural development and the E-levy will be a solution for these major developments.

The E-Commerce Association of Ghana says the government’s efforts to digitize the economy would be a waste if the e-levy policy takes effect in 2022.

It said, “the initiative would erode all gains made by government’s digitization agenda and be a major U-turn to the government’s vision on a Cash-lite economy.”

A statement issued in Accra by Mr Paul Asinor, the Executive Director of the Association, said even though the initiative would expand the government’s revenue collection base, the initiative had a far-reaching consequence on customers and in turn, their businesses if not carefully looked at.