Timing of E-Levy wrong; 1.7% charge is too much

The president of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe has proposed that the government should consider reducing the charge of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-levy) to O.5%.

According to him while the timing of the controversial E-Levy is wrong, the charge tabled by the Ministry in charge of Finance is also too high.

Speaking to Asaase Radio last Saturday, Franklin Cudjoe stressed that Ghanaians may accept to pay E-Levy at a reduced fee.

“To be frank, we have been paying a form of the E-Levy for a long while now and ordinarily people would not have had an issue with it, but the timing has been totally wrong.

“The most important reason why people are reluctant to pay the E-Levy which I agree with is that our financial issues are not caused by mobilisation; the use of the monies is what has been the issue.

“The amount being billed for the E-Levy is far too much and I would have suggested a tax of about 0.5% to 0.7% as E-Levy, not 1.75%,” Franklin Cudjoe shared.

Since its introduction in November by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, the levy has received massive opposition from Ghanaians with the Minority in Parliament also insisting that it will not consent to its approval.

As a result, the Majority has struggled to pass the bill with the government continually sweating and pleading to Parliament to approve the bill for its implementation to help mobilise revenue for development.