The Leader of the Minority Group in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, says no matter how dissatisfied Ghanaians may be with their conduct, they are happy that the country has already lost half of 2022 revenue government projected to be accrued from the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy).
This, he noted, is attributed to the stiff opposition and constructive criticisms the Minority Group mounted against the approval of the E-Levy policy.
“This minority succeeded in reducing E-Levy from 1.75 percent to 1.50 percent. When Finance Minister came to Parliament, his intention was 1.75 percent. There were many other activities that would have been captured by E-Levy; they’ve abandoned it, thanks to the opposition and our constructive criticisms of the policy…,” he noted.
Mr. Iddrisu made the statement while addressing members of the Parliamentary Press Corps at a Leadership Encounter with the press yesterday.
He pledged the readiness of the Minority Group to continue to ensure that Ghanaians are treated fairly by the government.
It could be recalled that Parliament on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 approved the controversial 1.50 percent tax on electronic payments, aka E-Levy, after the opposition NDC MPs had walked out in protest.
E-levy proposal
The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, had proposed the E-Levy in November 2021, with the aim of widening the tax to mobilise more revenue to address Ghana’s financial woes.
The proposal of the Minister hit a snag after the NDC MPs opposed the deal, and demanded that the 1.75 percent rate should be reduced to one percent, and called for the proposed tax policy to be withdrawn and a new one introduced.
After back and forth arguments over the tax proposal, it was withdrawn and a new proposal introduced, this time proposing a rate of 1.50 percent.
Even with the new proposed rate, the Minority Group was not satisfied, compelling them to walk out during the consideration of the policy.
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