Reduce E-levy to 1%, do more education - Stakeholders in Eastern Region tell government

Some stakeholders in the Eastern Region have called on the government to consider reducing the proposed E-levy charge rate to 1% or 1.2% instead of the "killer" 1.75%.

The stakeholders who spoke in separate interviews with GhanaWeb's McAnthony Dagyenga in Koforidua on the sidelines of the Government's Town Hall meeting on the E-levy.

According to them, the E-levy policy is a good one that would help enhance development in the country, however, the government should have a second thought on the approach it is adopting to get this law passed so that it can be well accepted by Ghanaians.

"The E-levy is a good thing. But to bring peace, I like to suggest that they bring it from 1.75% to 1.2% for a start so that it can be increased subsequently to say 1.5% and later reviewed upwards.

"They should come to a compromise so that it wouldn't be like they are using autocratic means to pass it.



"Tax is good. Everybody pays a tax but you have to look at the way you go about it," Bishop Adu, the Head Pastor and Founder of the House of Prayer Church in Koforidua diocese, said.

On his part, the Eastern Regional Chief Imam, Alhaji Yusif Amudani, called on the government to do a lot more sensitisation on the policy for Ghanaians to understand it.

He told GhanaWeb, "Today, we have had a better understanding of the E-levy. Initially, we didn't have enough understanding of it.

"Explanation of the policy has not gone down well with a lot of Ghanaians. If that is done, more people will get to understand it and accept it. Yes, it is a good policy."

The Regional Chief Imam's views were not so different from that of the President of the National Association of Assembly Members, Charles Asinor.

According to Charles Asinor, who is also the Assemblymember for Okorase Adu-Kuma Electoral Area, at the very beginning stage of the e-levy policy preparation, Assembly members should have been involved.

To him, Assembly members should be sensitised and equipped to do vigorous education at their various electoral areas for the citizens to understand and accept the government's policies including the e-levy.

"In Ghana, because we attach politics to everything, even if it is good, it ends up not succeeding. But if you empower Assembly members, we believe we can send the message across (to the citizens) better than the NCA," he posited.

A member of the disability group in the Eastern Region, Paul Ansah, also raised concerns about the rate charge of the e-levy and appealed that it should be reduced to 1%.

He suggested that a separate account should be opened for the taxes to be collected from the e-levy so that it can be tracked on its usefulness towards the development of Ghana.

When approached, the Municipal Chief Executive for Suhum, Margaret Darko, conceded that the government should have done the nationwide consultation before sending the bill to Parliament.

She stressed that the E-levy policy is one that would help the citizens and that more sensitisation needs to be done for all Ghanaians to understand it.