Ghana is literally broke, that’s why we need the e-levy – Ken Ofori-Atta

The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has admitted to the dire challenges the Ghanaian economy is facing.

According to him, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government cannot undertake a lot of projects and increase salaries because there is no money.

This, he said, is the main reason why Ghanaians have to accept the controversial e-levy in order for the nation to develop.

Speaking at a town hall meeting on Monday, 21 February 2022 in the Upper West regional capital, Wa, Mr Ofori-Atta said: “I look at teachers and civil servants for example, and I will be the first to admit that the salaries are indecent, nobody will argue with that. At the same time, it is 60 per cent of all the revenue we collect from 700,000 people [go into salary payment,] that is also a fact.

“So yes, there is a legitimate demand for more and there is a legitimate reality that there is no money. So what do we do as a society? Then you ask me to give you more salary, which is fine, then I say, but it is your colleague civil servants who collect the money, so how can you responsible for collecting the money, not collect it and then tell me to give you the money. That will be another issue.”

Meanwhile, some residents of Wa has called on the government to reduce the percentage of the e-levy from 1.75 to 0.5

According to a Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) correspondent, the residents of Wa proposed the reduction of the E-levy rate but said the government can then increase the levy to 1% in the following year and do the same for the subsequent years.

The participants said this will encourage people to continue transacting businesses electronically which will benefit the government and the citizenry.

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