<\/p>\n
Former Flagbearer aspirant of the\u00a0New Patriotic Party\u00a0(NPP), Captain (Rtd) Nkrabea Effah Dartey, has asked Ghanaians to disregard claims by former President,\u00a0John Dramani Mahama\u00a0that he will repeal the Electronic Transactions Act (E-Levy) when he gets the opportunity to lead the country once again.<\/p>\n
According to him, the former President lacks the moral right to label the E-Levy as an \u2018uncalled for\u2019 levy since Mr. Mahama as a former Ghanaian leader knows the significance of taxes in the development of a nation.<\/p>\n
The E-Levy tax came into force on 1st May 2022 after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo assented to the Electronic Transactions Act which was passed by Parliament on March 29, 2022.<\/p>\n
Minority members of Parliament led by Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrissu staged a walk-out during the third and final reading of the Bill allowing the Majority to unanimously approve the Bill.<\/p>\n
An attempt by three NDC MPs \u2013 Haruna Iddrissu, Samuel Okedzeto Ablakwa, and Mahama Ayariga \u2013 to get the Supreme Court to place an injunction on its implementation hit a snag when the highest court threw out their attempt to injunct the implementation of the e-levy.<\/p>\n
The Minority MPs contended that the legal threshold for passage of such a bill was not met before it was passed.<\/p>\n
Mr. Mahama prior to the Supreme Court ruling had assured Ghanaians at his \u2018Ghana at Crossroads\u2019\u00a0address that if voted into power in 2025, a new NDC government will repeal the E-Levy Act.<\/p>\n
According to him, the E-levy is only a distortionary and burdensome tax that only forces Ghanaians to pay more while suffering.<\/p>\n
Mr. Mahama said, \u201cunfortunately in the face of this self-inflicted economic catastrophe, this government against all sound advise has decided to introduce the E-Levy that heaps more suffering on Ghanaians.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA new National Democratic Congress government, God willing, with the votes of the sovereign people of Ghana, in 2025 will repeal the E-Levy act,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
But Nkrabea Effah Dartey called on Ghanaians not to take him seriously arguing that the NDC and Mr. Mahama lack the moral right to call for the repeal of the tax.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, I think the e-levy is good. John Mahama has been saying he will repeal it. He is lying, he can\u2019t [cancel it] upon realizing the amount of money been realized from it,\u201d he opined.<\/p>\n
He further charged Ghanaians to wholeheartedly embrace the e-levy as it will embolden the citizenry to question the politician on the use of their taxes.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery nation\u2019s development is dependent on the amount of money the government has for projects. All governments since Nkrumah\u2019s era have been borrowing a lot for development and this wouldn\u2019t have been so if we were paying enough taxes. In America, Vice President Agnew was jailed for failing to pay taxes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy is it that in Ghana we don\u2019t intensify our tax collection system and raise enough money to develop the country. That has informed why we as NPP upon realizing that a lot of mobile money transactions are done have decided to bring the e-levy to raise the money for development. In just a year, the momo transfer was over GHC 9 Billion.<\/p>\n
\u201cPaying taxes will allow us to hold governments accountable for what they do with our resources,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
| Disclaimer<\/span>: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of . Please report any inappropriate to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n Featured Video\n<\/p>\n |