Accra: Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has voiced strong accusations against the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, labeling it as deceptive following the Bank of Ghana's suspension of the contentious 0.75% Mobile Money-to-bank transfer charge. Addressing the media in Parliament, Afenyo-Markin criticized the government for what he described as a disparity between its promises and actions, suggesting that the NDC engages in propaganda.
According to Ghana Web, Afenyo-Markin expressed that the government's approach to the proposed levy was inconsistent, highlighting a perceived failure to uphold promises. He further stated that the administration says one thing but does another, emphasizing a lack of fulfillment of promises and accusing it of propagandist tactics. His comments come in response to the growing public backlash against the proposed charge, which the central bank has paused for further consultations.
The Minority Leader's criticism extended to questioning the process by which the charge was introduced. He insisted that Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson should appear before Parliament to clarify the circumstances surrounding the policy proposal. Afenyo-Markin expressed concern over the lack of public engagement prior to the attempted implementation of the charge, citing serious governance and transparency issues.
He asserted that using the Bank of Ghana and a private sector company to enforce the levy raised questions that needed addressing. Afenyo-Markin demanded that the Finance Minister provide explanations to Parliament regarding how the charge was nearly implemented without public knowledge, emphasizing that the suspension alone did not address the underlying issues. The Bank of Ghana, in response to public outcry, has put the fee on hold until further discussions with stakeholders can take place.