Parliament is battling over a motion moved by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, on the passage of the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy also known as E-Lvey today, Tuesday, March 29, 2022 albeit Minority initial objections.
The bill appears for debate and passage as captured in today’ Order Paper.
This comes at a time the house is filled to capacity by both members of the Minority and Majority. Both sides of the house, Majority and Minority have equal members of 137 but the Majority side is without the MP for Dome Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo who had been absence from the house for several weeks.
The embattled MP for Assin North, Gyekye Quayson is also conspicuously absent reducing the minority side to 136.
Interestingly, MP for Ahanta West Constituency in the Western Region, Ebenezer Kojo Kumi who was reported ill was allegedly brought to the house in wheelchair by an ambulance to participate in the passage.
Meanwhile, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority in Parliament has been crying foul about not given prior notice before the presentation of the controversial bill on the order paper.
The NDC were of the view that they have been ambushed with the motion since the move was not captured in the business of the week; hence they are surprised of its listing on the order paper.
According to Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, “When the business statement was presented last week, it [E-levy] was not part of the business approved for the house. We have warned time and again and cautioned that we dont want to be taken by surprise on a major economic policy of government.
Parliament cannot be that when a side is convenient with its number, then business can go on. It cannot be. We will not accept that culture. So when they [Majority] did not have the numbers, they weren’t ready. Now, that they have the numbers, then you say we should do business.”
Despite the objection, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta moved the motion for the debate on the controversial electronic transfer levy to commence.
Although the bill was not captured in the business statement of the house for this week, it was listed for the second reading and consideration on Tuesday.
This comes at a time the house is filled to capacity by both members of the Minority and Majority.
“The object of this bill is to broaden the tax base of the country by imposing the levy on electronic transfer and enhance government’s drive for revenue mobilization.
The levy which is expected to raise GHS6.9 million in 2022 is a key mechanism that the government will use to ensure Ghanaians contribute their fair share towards the development of the country. In the spirit of cooperation, government has decided to reduce the rate of the levy from 1.75 to 1.5 percent of the transfer. At the consideration stage, I will bring the necessary amendments to reflect the changes”, the Finance Minister moved.
The E-levy was introduced by the government in the 2022 Budget on basic transactions related to digital payments and electronic platform transactions.
The rate will apply to electronic transactions that are more than GHS 100 on a daily basis.
This is different from the 1% telcos charge on transactions.
The levy has sparked controversy because of its impact on mobile money transactions as the Minority has been resisting the levy ahead of the debate on the Bill in Parliament.
By Vincent Kubi