“NDC Never proposed E-levy in 2020 Manifesto: genuine consultations good for governance…”
Ghanaians are hopeful that the government will take the opportunity provided to engage critical stakeholders to reduce the rate of the E-levy and change the threshold to appeal to Ghanaians. It is sad that less premium is put on the consultation. I have read the 2020manifesto of the NDC and NPP. In my opinion, the 2020 manifesto of the NDC was received by Ghanaians including the NPP as the hope for the country resulting in massive votes for the NDC. The taxation regime of the NDC under the fiscal policy and strategy from page 21 is focused on using taxation as incentive for entrepreneurship, business growth and preservation household incomes. Page 23 provides several tax cuts to enhance productivity, exports, entrepreneurship, and jobs for all.
Promotion of financial inclusion and use of payment platforms is not the same as E-levy
On page 99 where financial inclusion and electronic payments is presented, an average reader will understand that this is about further promoting effectiveness of financial inclusion and to ensure broad-based use of electronic payments to step up the efforts at achieving cashless economic transactions. At 8.7(c) & (d)where it states “the NDC government will introduce uniform transaction fee policy to guide the electronic payments industry and work with merchants to encourage their clients to pay for goods and services electronically”, has nothing to do with E-levy. It has everything to do with deepening the use of electronic payments to achieve enhanced cashless transactions regime.
E-levy not the same as uniform fee charge by telcos when a platform is used for a transaction
Uniform transaction fee for the industry is not the same as E-levy which is designed to raise revenue to pay interest on loans taken with greater burden on the finances of the country. Uniform fees means if you undertake a transaction on the platform of MTN the fees charge should be the same when doing so with vodafon or Tigo. It has nothing to do with revenue measure for government.
E-levy is revenue conduit for the government as proposed in the 2022 budget and rejected by Ghanaians. Uniform transaction fees are charged by the telcos, E-levy is to be charged by the NPP government at 1.75% .
Uniform transaction fee is to promote participation and use of electronic payment platforms to achieve cashless transactions with fairness to clients. E-levy stands to truncate participation and threatens the interest of clients.
The two are just not the same. Stakeholder respect is good for our democracy.
