Don’t tax MoMo, we will not support E-Levy – Ato Forson
If you love Ghana, you will support E-Levy- Osei-Asare
The Parliament of Ghana has begun debating the controversial Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) Bill, after which the house is expected to vote on the levy.
The debate began after the rejection of the minority caucus’ request for the suspension of the house for 30 minutes by Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin.
The Minority caucus in Parliament requested that the session be suspended to enable them to read the report on the E-Levy submitted by Parliament’s Committee on Finance.
The speaker, however, said that he will allow the minority caucus some time for them to prepare for the debate.
Speaking on behalf of the minority caucus, the ranking member of the Parliament Select Committee on Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, said that the E-Levy passage will imply that the government was taxing savings.
According to Ato Forson, the E-Levy violates all the principles of taxation and it is for this reason that the minority caucus will vote against its passage.
“The structure and design of the E-Levy is taking money from the ordinary Ghanaians. Mr Speaker let it be recorded today the NDC minority opposes this tax with all the strength within us for a simple reason that we do not believe that mobile money should be taxed.
"Mr Speaker, our position is that don’t task ‘MoMo’, don’t task ‘MoMo’, don’t task ‘MoMo’. Mr Speaker I repeat our position is that don’t tax money don’t task ‘MoMo’, don’t task ‘MoMo’…
“… let me put on record that we are not against taxation. The NDC as a social democratic party does not believe that we should design a tax that is regressive, and punitive. My position on this levy is not personal but it is based on sound technical reasons,” he said.
The Deputy Minister of Finance and Atiwa East MP, Abena Osei-Asare, who spoke on behalf of the majority caucus of parliament, said that any person who loves Ghana will support the E-Levy.
Osei-Asare argued that the E-Levy will help the government to get the match needed revenue to help revive Ghana's economy.
“Mr Speaker we all strive for development in this country but looking at the current tax to GDP ratio, there is no way we can move forward unless we do something about it, that is why we want to introduce the Electronic Transaction Levey that will help rope in the informal sector to attain a target of 16 to 20 percent tax to GDP ratio.
“If E-Levy is passed, it will go a long way to address certain issues that will come up as a result of the global crisis and domestic issues as well,” she said.
Before the debate began, Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta, who moved the motion for the consideration of the bill to commence, said the GHC 6.9 billion target has been reviewed downwards.
