Haruna Iddrisu
Leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has finally backed down on the E-levy rejection.
He says his side now accepts the proposed Electronic Transaction Levy in the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government.
According to him, E-Levy is for the good of the country.
“A week ago, we said no, we won’t accept e-levy but having listened to officials in government, including the Minister of Finance, I am convinced to accept a departure from my original no to accepting a one percent e-levy,” he said this at the 10th-anniversary launch of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications in Accra on Thursday, December 2, 2021.
He however requested for E-Levy to be reduced from the proposed 1.75 to 1%.
The Minority Leader was optimistic that the e-levy at one percent was a great contribution to fiscal consolidation and would ensure the economy did not collapse going forward, he said.
The digital economy was doing well and had facilitated a revolution in financial inclusion, hence it was unwise to overburden the telecommunications sector, Mr Iddrisu said.
“We are not against it, but we want it fixed at one percent. We fear for double taxation because we already have the communication services tax,” he added.
The Tamale South MP initially disagreed with the deduction fee for business transactions not exceeding the GH¢100.00 threshold a day and called for it to be pegged at GH¢500.
But in a similar vein, he suggested that the money be pegged at GH¢300 after revising his notes.
Mr Iddrisu said Ghanaians needed to pay taxes to help develop the country, but not one that would further put strains on their tight purse.
By Vincent Kubi