The National Youth Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Opare Addo has described as comical the reasons given by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the imposition of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy).
The President in calling on the citizenry to embrace the new levy recently argued that it is a necessary step that will provide additional financing to close the revenue gap created by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking on the E-Levy when a delegation from the Dzodze Traditional Area in the Volta region called on him at the Jubilee House on February 2, H.E Akufo-Addo said it was time the country looked inward to raise money to fund its economic growth and development, and not depend on foreign grants and loans, which may not be sustainable in the long term.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Monday, February 7, 2022, NDCs Opare Addo said these and all arguments made by government officials are just comical.
“The President and his spokesmen have given comic reasons why there is the need to impose the levy. The only reason why this government is doing everything possible to impose the levy is that Ghana is not creditworthy hence it can no longer borrow or raise bonds on the international market,” the NDC National Youth Organiser told journalists.
He said at a time when Ghanaians are already suffering, the government must be considerate to cut down its spending instead of imposing the E-Levy.
“Already, Ghanaians are saddled with many taxes resulting in the increase in petroleum products, high tariffs, increase in prices of goods and service, increase in the cost of living etc. Even when Ghanaians have almost unanimously kicked against the introduction of the obnoxious e-levy, the Akufo Addo/Bawumia administration is bent on using all means possible to force it down their throats.
“In the midst of all these, there is no conscionable person in this government to counsel the President and his Cabinet that they must sacrifice by cutting down their profligate spending and bring economic respite for the poor people across the country who live in strenuous conditions,” Opare Addo stressed.
Source: Modern Ghana