E-Levy exemptions unrealistic, will overburden the poor - Eric Opoku

Former Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Eric Opoku, has rubbished the claim by the government that the transfers of GHC100 per day made by the same person will be exempted from E-levy.

Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta made some modifications to the controversial levy as he prepares to take the 1.75% E-levy back to parliament for approval soon, but Mr. Opoku who is MP for Asunafo South says the exemptions are not realistic since they will overburden the poor.

Among the changes is a list of exemptions that will not be affected by the controversial new levy, Ofori-Atta listed are cumulative transfers of GHC100 per day made by the same person.

The others are Transfers between accounts owned by the same person, transfers for the payment of taxes, fees, and charges on the Ghana.gov platform, the Electronic clearing of cheques among others.

Speaking to Prince Kwame Minkah on Dwaboase on TV XYZ, Mr. Eric Opoku explained that Mobile Money (Momo) vendors will not be able to guarantee customers a tax-exempt on every GHS 100 they send through the agents because the first person to send such amount enjoys the exempt for the day and nobody can enjoy same on the said day.

“The 100 cedis exemptions will not be practicable. When you Kwame Minkah send me 100 cedis from your phone, the system will recognise it as coming from your phone to mine but how about those who would want to send 100 cedis to other people through the Momo vendors?” he asked.

In his estimation, the vendor has the opportunity to send GHS100 cedis without paying for E-levy once every day.

“People go to queue to send money through the vendors so how do you exempt someone who is sending 100 cedis for the first time in a day while someone had already exhausted that chance earlier by also sending GHS 100 through?”

It is for this reason that the MP has asked that government does the necessary consultations to answer some important questions begging for answers.