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There have been wild jubilations by Ghanaians over reports of a huge
shortfall in the projected revenue from the much-criticized Electronic Levy also known as E-levy, two months after its implementation. This comes after a leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party, Mr. Gabby Asare Darko revealed that the government has only generated Ghc60m out of the expected revenue of Ghc600m over the period.
Gabby Asare Darko; who’s a nephew of the President; in a series of tweets on Monday, June 27 expressed his frustrations over the lack of enthusiasm of Ghanaians towards the tax policy which took effect on 1st May. He disclosed that “E-levy which was to have given us some Ghc600m by now has done less than Ghc60m”. According to him Ghana’s revenues remain low as compared to the rest of the world and called out Ghanaians for refusing to pay the 1.5% levy charged on mobile money and other electronic transactions.
On the back of this disclosure, many Ghanaians took to social media to jubilate over what they describe as positive defiance of the “killer tax” whiles some resorted to mainstream media and mounting sound systems to mock the government over her refusal to listen to their cry of hardships by putting on hold the proposed levy. A social media user by name of King David wrote “so after all the town hall meetings they held and reported to us about overwhelming confidence in the E-levy, they’re crying over mobilization? Hahahaa Incompetent govt!” In a response to Gaby’s tweet, a popular social media user and a youth activist by the name of Elikem E.K Kotoko mocked “eglo kese woyor wuti be nyine. You’re now sounding @IMFNews drums? What’s leadership without solutions during a crisis? Now you admit investor confidence in this empty pie economy built by your uncle is zilch. Almighty E-levy hit a snag, you took the poor for granted. Kpordawoe”
The Member of Parliament for the Ningo-Prampram Constituency, Hon. Sam George attributed the ‘success’ to the resilience of the silent majority of Ghanaians since the government was bent on implementing the tax policy which was going to compound the hardship in the country. On Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana show, the tough-speaking lawmaker disclosed that he hasn’t made mobile money transactions for nine weeks now. “I can proudly and boldly confirm that it’s been nine weeks since I stopped using mobile money transactions… The majority of Ghanaians are protesting. You can go to court and get an injunction, it won’t work on us, you can’t force me to do mobile money transactions” the MP stated.
Some Ghanaians have however expressed skepticism over the reports as they believe the government was only trying to conceal the actual revenue realized from the policy to avoid accountability from the public. Another social media user wrote ” we were told that govt made Ghc1m daily at the beginning of May this year so how has the story changed since then? This govt is notorious for hiding figures and I won’t be surprised if it turns out to be another family and friends chop-chop. They are telling us only a portion of what has been generated ”
The revelations of the government not meeting its revenue targets has sparked discussions among government officials about a possible bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Key actors in the government including vice president Dr. Mahmoud Bawumia when they were in opposition mocked the previous government for its decision to opt for an IMF program and stated that an Economic Management Team under his leadership would do things differently. With revelations by Gabby Asare Darko of the government possibly borrowing in the next few months to pay salaries and wages, Ghanaians await the decision of the Economic Management Team to address the prevailing economic hardships in the country.
SOURCE: DFS LIVE NEWS
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