NUGS president denies bribery allegations
E-levy slaps 1.75% charges on all electronic transaction on digital platforms
President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), Emmanuel Yiadom Boakye, has denied rife reports of an alleged bribe he received from the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, before endorsing the E-levy, stating that he does not need money before he acts.
The NUGS president on Thursday November 25, 2021, organized a press conference where he threw the student union’s weight behind the controversial E-levy, arguing that it was going to help government address unemployment in the country through the YouStart initiative.
Ahead of the presser, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Youth Organizer, George Opare Addo, in a Facebook post, alleged that the finance minister had paid GH¢15,000 bribe to the NUGS officers to court support for the E-levy at their press conference.
“Things fall apart, the center cannot hold! If the supposed E-levy was that prudent and resonates with young people, why would the finance minister be this desperate to coerce student leaders to endorse it? To the point of offering them GH¢15,000 to organize a press conference in support of the burden-laden budget. A policy that is detrimental to the hopes and aspirations of young people yet Ken Ofori-Atta, who’s out of wits, thinks taxing mobile transactions used mostly by students to get by is a cool idea.
“Let it be known that this agenda won’t stand! No PR or peer-to-peer campaign led by any student Union will make this insensitive tax any less callous! To the leadership of NUGS, the Ghanaian Youth, especially students will be disappointed in you if you go ahead with this presser. We know what you have been told to do and say but let your conscience guide you to do what is right by students and your nation,” he posted.
But NUGS president, Emmanuel Boakye Yiadom, in an interview with GhanaWeb said the allegations were being peddled by persons who had those same character traits they accused him of.
He added however that he will gladly accept the money if his accusers offered it to him.
“There are certain people who made money fraudulently so when they see a colleague making it then they feel that person too made it fraudulently just as they made theirs. So, I don’t begrudge them because their lives have been that, when they are to come and speak on something, maybe they take money before they do it so they feel everyone is just like them.
In my right thinking sense as a student leader and at my age, I don’t need someone to give me money before I act. That is not right. Those saying that…I’m looking for the money. If it is with them they should bring it to me and I’ll gladly take it. That GH¢15,000 they are talking about I’m looking for it, if it is with them, they should bring it and I will gladly take it,” he added.
NUGS President, Emmanuel Boakye Yiadom