The Member of Parliament for Yapei Kusawgu Constituency in the Northern Region, John Abdulai Jinapor, has described as unfortunate, comments by the Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful on the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy).
Once the 2022 budget is approved, all electronic transactions in Ghana will attract a levy as part of moves by the government to shore up its revenue mobilisation.
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, who made the announcement when he presented the 2022 budget to Parliament on Wednesday, November 17, 2021, explained that the upsurge in the use of e-payment platforms as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has been an impetus for the introduction of the levy.
Defending the E-levy, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said: “The state is saying that if you are sending up to a GHS100 a day, cumulatively you can send up to GH3,000 a month. That is all going to be tax-free,” she noted.
She added, however, that “If you have more than a GHS100 to send a day, then you’re not poor.”
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But reacting to the comment, Mr Jinapor said the development will rather affect the poor and the ordinary Ghanaian and therefore the Minority cannot accept that.
“Not everyone will get 100 cedis a day and so don’t let us create the impression that once you send MOMO above 100 cedis, then it means you are well to do. That is simply an unfortunate comment coming from a minister,” he said.
He told Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show Monday that if “we want to tax the rich, that is not the way to go.”
He said looking at property in Accra, there are other effective property rates collection systems and not this.
Mr Jinapor said Parliament will begin debate on the 2022 Budget Statement later this week and therefore as the Minority, they are lacing their boots to oppose it.
“The Minority Leader speaks for us. He has spoken on MOMO and my perspective is also on the MOMO which we are against, the main debate will start tomorrow and so we are getting ready to review the budget,” he added.