Ningo Prampram Lawmaker, Samuel Nartey George, has asked the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmakers how they feel after hearing the announcement by their flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to cancel the e-levy when the legislators ‘fought’ their colleagues in the Minority to get the levy passed.
It is recalled that parliament was thrown into a boxing arena during the passage of the e-levy. Whereas the Minority rejected the levy, the Majority were in favour of it and got it passed on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, taking effect from 1st May, 2022.
But Dr Bawumia had stated categorically that he would abolish the tax on electronic financial transactions, e-levy, if elected President of Ghana.
The controversial tax was introduced in 2022, and prior to the introduction, Vice President Bawumia had declared his opposition to levies on electronic financial transaction in an interview.
Delivering his first major address to the nation after his election as NPP flagbearer, during which he gave broad policy outlines of a Bawumia Presidency, Dr. Bawumia minced no words in declaring his opposition to taxes on electronic financial transactions, declaring that he will abolish e-levy as President.
“To move towards a cashless economy, however, we have to encourage the population to use electronic channels payment. To accomplish this, there will be no taxes on digital payments under my administration. The e-levy will therefore, be abolished,” he declared at the UPSA auditorium on February 7.
Commenting on his X platform, Sam George said “I have a question to ask my Colleague NPP MPs who were sitting in the UPSA Hall yesterday and clapping vigorously for the comical performance of Dr @MBawumia. How do you all feel after fighting the NDC MPs and walking out and insulting us over the e-Levy?
“Now Bawumia says you all are short-sighted and not critical in your thinking and analysis. He says your arguments and debates in favour of e-Levy are all bogus and useless. And you were clapping yesterday? Or you were not paying attention? Like I am trying to understand how you must be feeling. Anyway, Ken Ofori-Atta is still Finance Minister after all your complaints. We move.”