It’s shocking Akufo-Addo swiftly reacted to benchmark issues but not E-levy – NDC MP

Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, has questioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s decision to act swiftly to concerns raised against the reversal of the benchmark policy but has remained quiet the the E-levy.

Suhuyini believes that the E-levy attracted huge concerns far more than what the reversal of benchmark policy did. However, he said, the President has not spoken on the controversial proposal in the budget that has heavily divided Ghanaians.

Speaking on the New Day show on TV3 with Johnnie Hughes on Monday January 10, he said “What have people been calling for on the e-levy? Consultations. Every stakeholder has been calling for consultation. The president said he is suspending benchmark policy for consultation but he is dead silent on e-levy. Why? Compare the impact of benchmark value with the impact of the e-levy on Ghanaians.”

Asked whether his side in the House are ready to be engaged on the E-levy proposal, he said “Everyone has always been ready. Johnnie, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo led demonstrations to kick against VAT but the government of the day that was democratic even though it was led by a Military ruler suspended it and engaged in consultations and eventually passed it which is now contributing to the payment of luxury jets that the president who was campaigning against it flies it.”

President Akufo-Addo ordered the suspension of the reversal of the benchmark policy.

This was is to allow for further consultations.

The president’s order comes after the Finance Ministry had agreed to further engagement on the discounted benchmark reversal after crucial meeting with other stakeholders.

The meeting on Thursday January 6 was attended by the Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta, trade union leaders, Customs and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to conclude on what was termed” satisfactory values for importation”.

The reversal was to affect 143 items under three categories prescribed by the Ghana Revenue Authority.

The benchmark value, which is the amount taxable on imports, was reduced by 50 percent for some goods. The government had hoped that this was going scale up he volume of transactions of make Ghana’s ports competitive.

The government decided to reverse this decision after it met opposition from Association of Ghana Industries and the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA).

But it met opposition from trade unions including the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) and Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG).