Government struggling over E-Levy due to its own conduct – Obed Asamoah

The government is having difficulties in getting the E-levy passed by Parliament because of its own attitude, a former Attorney General under the Rawlings administration, Dr. Obed Asamoah, has said.

In his view, the failure of the government to consult widely on the proposal before its introduction is what is creating problems for the administration.

Speaking in an interview with TV3’s Roland Walker on Tuesday March 1, he said “To some extent, we were all involved in molding the constitution but we didn’t think that government’s power will be used that way. For example, when the VAT issue arose and Kwesi Botchwey introduced the VAT idea there was an uproar and one of those who led the rabble riots was Nana Akufo-Addo.

“What happened? Jerry Rawlings said, let us hold on. So they withdrew the policy for some time until there had been more consultations and then it was brought back subsequently, and there wasn’t any farce. It is the attitude of the government.

“For example take this E-levy, it should have been an issue of consultation, it should not be a power play in Parliament that let us get some lady who is running away from parliament to come and get it passed. Why can’t you discuss this matter with the opposition?”

Meanwhile, the Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has said the government underestimated the resistance to the introduction of the E-levy policy in the 2022 budget statement.

He said they expected some form of opposition while introducing the policy but not this magnitude.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with TV3’s Benjamin Aidoo, the Suame lawmaker and leader of Government Business in Parliament said “You will see the Finance Minister going to organize town hall meetings in various regional capitals.

“Maybe, we underestimated the resistance. In any human institution people really will not come out openly to embrace the imposition of taxes, so we thought that yes, there will be some resistance it being a new levy or tax that we are going to introduce, but maybe we underestimated the strength of the resistance.

“Maybe, what we are doing now, I know some of my colleagues are out in various regions and constituencies trying to explain matters to their constituents, with hindsight maybe, this ought to have preceded the introduction of the E-levy. Perhaps, next time we will do better.

“But as I said we are still engaging and I want to believe that we will certainly bring this to successful completion.”

The Minority in Parliament rejected the introduction of the E-levy.

The Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said the policy is a disincentive to the growth of the digital economy hence, the Minority will not support it.