The Member of Parliament for Bortianor-Ngleshie Amanfro Constituency, Sylvester Matthew Tetteh, has said the controversial E-levy bill will not be mandatory.
According to the lawmaker, the initial stages of implementation, after its approval, will see an attrition in users of electronic transactions but the situation will normalise.
“The e-levy is not a mandatory tax,” he said on TV3’s Newday morning show.
“That is why I say that even the projections of government could be lower.”
The imposition of the e-levy has been one of the contentious issues in the 2022 budget statement.
Many Ghanaians have called on the government to reconsider such a move. They argue the levy is punitive.
For instance, the Minority Caucus in Parliament has indicated its strong resolve to reject e-levy in its entirety.
It said it will kick against the levy in any shape or form since it will inflict more hardship on Ghanaians.
The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, while making a submission on the floor of parliament on Tuesday [December 6, 2021] in reaction to Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta’s recent announcement of concessions on the 2022 budget, said the levy will among other things derail Ghana’s efforts to grow a digital economy.
“It is true that we engaged. We were part of the engagement, but at that engagement, regrettably and unfortunately, on the matter of e-levy we could not have agreement and consensus.”
“We believe that the e-levy is punitive, and will undermine our quest to grow a digital economy in seeking to tax transactions.”
