The Economic Fighters’ League has chided the Akufo-Addo government for pushing through with the unpopular Electronic Transfer Levy, despite the opposition by Ghanaians.
In an interview with Citi News, the Fighter General of the Economic Fighters’ League, Hardi Yakubu, also accused the Minority in Parliament of conniving with the government to have the E-Levy passed.
It noted that the Minority had been inconsistent in its opposition to the levy, first suggesting it would accept a levy of 1 percent instead of the original 1.75 percent.
The Minority then insisted it would not accept the levy in any form.
“We saw early their [the Minority’s] flip-flopping… trying to confuse the people as to what the real position of the paid opposition should be.”
“We expected the paid opposition to be very clear and straightforward in their rejection of the momo tax,” Mr. Yakubu said.
The Minority Caucus is challenging the passage of the e-levy after it complained that it had been blindsided by the unexpected laying of the controversial tax.
It has subsequently moved to challenge the passage of the levy at the Supreme Court.
The Minority MPs on the suit are the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, Mahama Ayariga of Bawku Central, and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of North Tongu.
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They are arguing that Parliament did not have the right numbers to form a quorum for the passage of the E-levy Bill into law.
President Akufo-Addo assented to the Bill yesterday after it was passed on March 29, 2022.
The levy, which was eventually amended from 1.75 percent to 1.5 percent on Tuesday, will be a tax on electronic transactions, which includes mobile-money payments.
The charge will apply to electronic transactions that are over GH¢100 on a daily basis.
The government had hoped the levy would widen the tax net and raise an extra GH¢6.9 billion in 2022 when it was first announced in the budget.
The government expects systems that will pave the way for the implementation of the electronic transfer levy to be ready by May 2022.
