The Chairman of the Trade and Industry Committee of Parliament, Carlos Ahenkorah, has justified the proposed E-Levy introduced in the 2022 budget statement.
The legislator was of the view that the levy was not compulsory and person have an option to either use the transaction or use other means to transact business.
Mr. Ahenkorah speaking to journalists said the levy is not compulsory, and persons who do not want to pay are free not to use platforms.
The Min ority stands opposed to the levy and have threatened to use all legal means possible to resist it.
But the Tema West MP says one would only be charged if they use the service.
“I have always been saying that the momo tax is a compulsory tax. You only pay when you use it, when you don’t use it, you don’t pay. If you think it is expensive, there is no other procedure for making payments that will be equal to MoMo. So what we are saying is that the tax is targeted at those who have the ability to pay not those who are receiving.”
“So if you are receiving it is okay to go and negotiate with the person who has gone to the bank to borrow money to be a MoMo agent to pay money out. Otherwise, keep the money on your phone, and you don’t owe anyone any money.”
The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has argued that said proceeds from the 1.75% E-Levy, proposed in the 2022 budget, would create over 11 million.
He said proceeds from the levy will among other things support young entrepreneurs in the country as a way of tackling unemployment.
Ken Ofori-Atta said “for us as a government, our task is to ensure we extend opportunities to the youth. The consequences of having eleven million people with no clear path, undoubtedly, our recovery efforts hinges on tailored support to provide skills and funding to our young people to pursue their ambition to free them”, indicating that nothing is impossible.
“How do we as a nation move into an entrepreneurial stage to have an opportunity to contribute to national development? How do we reduce our debt and create employment? How do we take care of our infrastructure and roads so that we open up the country and build good Internet systems to create opportunities for all? Why are we being resistant to the future? We have nothing to fear. Have we as a nation understood the times that we are in and are we ready to sacrifice to move to a whole different level?”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
