The former lawmaker said the manner in which the Electronic Transaction Levy bill was approved in Parliament clearly indicates that the government has become alien to its people
The former MP for Kumbungu constituency, Ras Mubarak has said the Akufo-Addo-led administration has failed to listen to the concerns of Ghanaians in spite of the current economic hardship.
According to him, the manner in which the Electronic Transaction Levy bill was approved in Parliament clearly indicates that the government has become alien to its people.
He said that Ghana’s economic recovery will be based on judicious management of the economy, however, he does not believe this current government has what it takes to achieve that.
“Well it’s routine, isn’t it? When Parliament passes a bill, the President by the constitution has a time frame within which to assent or decline assent and in this instance, their entire economic policy has been hinged on the E-Levy so, he assents to it with alacrity, I’m not surprised,” the former lawmaker said on Asaase Radio’s The Big Bulletin news programme.
“…But it also underscores the fact that this is a government that is unyielding, this is a government that is not listening to the concerns and aspirations of the good people of Ghana. And if they were minded, if they were listening to the people, we would not have been where we are where E-Levy get passed in the manner that it got passed,” Mubarak added.
Also, Mubarak told the host Beatrice Adu on Thursday (30 March) that, “there’s a lot that is wrong with the economy, the basis upon which we will have economic recovery will be prudence in the management of our economic resources but I don’t see that happening under the current finance minister and this government.”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assented to the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) bill to officially make it a law.
Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, the government spokesperson on governance and security said the president signed the bill into law on Thursday 31 March 2022.
“I confirm this to the good people of the Republic of Ghana that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the final stage; which is like the eight of bringing a bill into law, has assented to the bill.”
E-Levy to start in May
According to him, beginning 1 May 2022, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) will start collecting the levy.
“So, the bill takes effect in May, by which time we would have done all our work in terms of GRA being prepared to immediately start the taxation process,” he said.
