You will lose election 2024 if pass e-levy – Alban Bagbin

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has caution government against pushing through it proposed electronic transaction levy.

According to him, government will lose the 2024 elections if the levy which seeks to impose some 1.75% on mobile money transfers above ₵100 is pushed through.

“As you go around the country to convince Ghanaians to vote for your party and you, others with big pockets are facilitating parties and when you win power, they get the positions, not you.

“So, they don’t have that culture, they don’t have that understanding and there is that missing link. They come to impose the ideas on you to vote the way to rather take party interest first, not Ghana first, Mr Alban Bagbin said.

“We always vote ourselves out of power, which my colleagues in the NPP are doing now. So don’t be surprised in the next elections if you don’t win.“It is very clear if this your E-levy goes through you have lost the elections,” he mentioned.

Mr Alban Bagbin made the comment while addressing a forum of former Parliamentarians held at his request on Thursday, December 23.

Gov’t of Ghana introduce E-Levy

 The government of Ghana in its 2021 Budget Statement presented by the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta on Wednesday, November 17 announced a 1.75% levy on all momo transaction exceeding ₵100.

The tax, the minister said is to help widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector into the country tax system.

“After considerable deliberations, the government has decided to place a levy on all electronic transactions to widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector. This shall be known as the “Electronic Transaction Levy or E-Levy”, Mr Ofori-Atta told Parliament.

However since the announcement, many Ghanaians have kicked against the tax adding that would bring more hardship.

The Minority group in Parliament and member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have also kicked against the 1.75% imposed on the mobile money transaction.

 The levy has since been the source of several scuffles in Parliament.

Source: GhanaPlus.com