Bawumia is truly heartless - Dafeamekpor

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, presented the 2022 budget statement yesterday

One key highlight was the announcement of the E-levy

The levy will apply a 1.75% rate on all electronic transactions

Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has described the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as a “truly heartless” person.

This he says is as a result of the announcement of the new electronic transaction levy, otherwise known as e-levy.

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, at the presentation of the 2022 budget said the government was introducing the levy to be “used to support entrepreneurship, youth employment, cyber security, digital and road infrastructure among others”.

According to the budget, electronic transactions covering mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments and inward remittances will be charged at an applicable rate of 1.75%, which shall be borne by the sender except inward remittances, which will be borne by the recipient.

Reacting to the development, the MP for South Dayi in a tweet expressed concerns about how the new tax to be implemented in 2022, will affect the poor in the society.

The Npp is saying poor people only do momo transactions up to Ghc100. A poor kid in Kpeve receiving & paying school fees of Ghc950 will pay the Bawumia tax. If I send Ghc300 to my Branch Chairman at Dzemeni to buy drugs, he’ll pay the Bawumia tax. Dr Bawumia is truly heartless.

— Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Esq. MP. (@etsedafeamekpor) November 18, 2021

Public opinion is already sharply divided over the e-levy.

Whiles some believe it will be counterproductive to government’s initiative of a digital economy, others think it will rope in the informal sector to contribute to national development.

Meanwhile the Minority has vowed to oppose government’s move to introduce the levy.

Commenting on the budget statement, ranking member on the finance committee, Cassiel Ato Forson indicated that the levy will “only increase hardship and compromise inward remittance.”

He mentioned that the Minority will thus “stand by Ghanaians in opposing the momo tax.”

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