The Coalition for Accountable E-levy Fund (CAEF), a public policy advocate and analyst, has asked the government to disclose the amount generated from the electronic transfer levy (E-Levy), after 51 days of its implementation.
It noted that barely 24 hours after the implementation of the E-Levy in May this year, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) announced that the government had raked in one million cedis.
CAEF, in a statement signed by its convener, Kwame Baa Mensa, indicated that the aforementioned suggests an increase in the amount generated, hence the need for the government through the GRA to account to the public.
“It is speculative to say that the five charging entities in 24 hours multiplied by the 51 days, suggest that the government through the GRA has made millions of the Ghana cedi out of Ghanaians to support the economy,” it said.
Usage
Again, it believes that with a regulation backing the implementation of the E-Levy, it must be clear, unambiguous and precise, the usage of its accrued funds.
This is because, having embarked on public engagement in the Ashanti, Greater Accra, Eastern, Bono and Ahafo regions, soliciting the views of Ghanaians on the initiative, “the majority are of the concern that the government seems to have gone to sleep after the implementation of the policy and fear the promises made might yet be left at ‘no parking’ or yet another white elephant project.”
“A visible outdoor projects and ventures(sic) undertaken with proceeds of the E-Levy should be modelled after the erstwhile Preseident John Kufuor’s ‘HIPIC Benefit’ but in this case ‘E-Lvey Benefit’ to spur confidence in Ghaanians to transact more electronic transfers,” it suggested.
“The proceeds from the E-levy cannot and should not be diverted. It will be a cardinal sin and the New Partiotic Party (NPP) government shall be punished by Ghanaians come 2024,” it added.
CAEF added: “It is the high expectation of Ghanaians, especially the huge number of unemployed youth, that the government never disappoints them, and chanel the E-Levy funds to the promises made before its implementations.”
About The Author
