Bawumia mute on E-Levy
Spokesman says Bawumia needs not make personal comment on a passed law
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, as a member of government supports whatever decisions are taken in cabinet and by extension, the government.
His views, like that of any other person, after a law has properly been passed and assented to, matters very little.
This is the explanation advanced by Bawumia’s spokesperson, Dr. Gideon Boako, when asked about the passing remark that Bawumia allotted to the Electronic Transfer (E-Levy) issue during is April 7 lecture on the state of the economy.
Whiles speaking on the Tuesday, April 12 edition of 3FM’s Morning Show, Dr. Boako said: “[E-levy] is a government policy. Whatever commentary anybody passed before such policy came to effect is immaterial. Whether you sat on the table, made your views known in support or in dissent, when the decision is taken it is a collective decision and what you say is immaterial.
“Mind you, you don’t come out from cabinet meetings and send out your opinion and push it out, it is not done anywhere. What is important is that when government takes a decision, all actors are bound by it whether you supported it or not,” he stressed.
He continued that it was “not in the interest of the government or the Vice President himself to come out after the cabinet has taken the decision to say that ‘I’m the one who championed the idea’, or to come out to say ‘when this was tabled I didn’t support it’, are you not a team player?” he asked rhetorically.
According to him even the President and Finance Minister in the remarks after the passage of the law have made terse statements on the matter because it had been accepted as a tax handle and is awaiting implementation.
“We need to make sure we hold government accountable to ensure that the purpose of which the tax was introduced is achieved. I think that is where we need to focus now. If you listened to the President’s State of the Nation address after e-levy was passed, he didn’t talk so much about e-levy.
“The Finance Minister in his address after e-levy was passed didn’t talk so much about e-levy because it has been passed so I don’t see why the Vice President had to rather take time and go and delve into the matter after it has been passed.”
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About the E-Levy bill
The government of Ghana will from May 1 charge a 1.75% rate on electronic transactions that are more than GH¢100 on a daily basis.
Critics of the proposal have warned that the levy will negatively impact the Fintech space, as well as hurt low-income earners and those outside the formal banking sector.
The E-Levy has been the source of tension in Parliament since it was introduced in the 2022 budget. The tensions culminated in a scuffle between lawmakers in Parliament in December 2021.
The government has, however, argued the levy would widen the tax net and could increase revenue generation by estimated GH¢6.9 billion in 2022. There are also concerns that the government may securitise proceeds from the e-levy to raise extra revenue.
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