Minority will submit a private member’s bill to repeal e-levy, other nuisance taxes – Ato Forson

The Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has stated that his party will introduce a private member’s bill to Parliament, aiming to compel President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to eliminate all taxes deemed as nuisance, including the e-levy.

Minority will submit a private member’s bill to repeal e-levy, other nuisance taxes – Ato Forson

Dr. Forson expressed his expectation for the Majority side of the House, which supported Dr. Bawumia’s announcement to remove the e-levy, to also support this private member’s bill.

“If Dr. Bawumia truly wants the tax removed, he should act now. We will bring forth a private member’s bill to eliminate these taxes, including the e-levy, emission levy, and certain VATs. We will observe whether the NPP will support it or not. The Vice President signaled to us that they are against these taxes, and we witnessed their MPs favoring the Vice President’s position. Therefore, we want to test the sincerity of their stance,” he stated during an interview with Joy News on Tuesday, February 13.

However, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Stephen Amoah, mentioned that the Minority Leader hasn’t persuaded him to support such a bill.

Dr. Bawumia had earlier declared his intention to abolish the tax on electronic financial transactions, the e-levy, if elected President of Ghana. This tax, introduced in 2022, has sparked controversy since its inception. Prior to its introduction, Vice President Bawumia had expressed his opposition to levies on electronic financial transactions in an interview.

During his first major address to the nation after his election as NPP flagbearer, Dr. Bawumia reiterated his opposition to taxes on electronic financial transactions, stating that he would abolish the e-levy if elected as President.

Furthermore, Dr. Bawumia outlined plans to introduce a citizen and business-friendly flat tax regime, emphasizing the need for a cashless economy and the promotion of digital payments. He also pledged to abolish other taxes, including the emission tax and tax on betting, while introducing measures to support individuals and small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs).