The Minority in Parliament has declared its intention to introduce a private member’s bill to repeal the E-levy, emissions tax, and betting tax.
This comes after the New Patriotic Party’s flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, pledged to eliminate these taxes if elected in the 2024 polls.
While the e-levy, emissions tax, and betting tax have been contentious issues, the Minority aims to explore all avenues necessary to have the taxes repealed.
Giving his concluding remarks on the State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in Parliament on Monday, the Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, stressed that these taxes placed a heavy burden on businesses within the country.
“The unemployment situation in our country is at a crisis point. Mr Speaker the high cost of living has become a nightmare for many people. This has significantly deteriorated during the depreciation of our currency, especially Mr. Speaker, food inflation.
“Sadly a recent World Bank report on food security released on the 13th of November 2023 cited Ghana among the top five countries in the world with the highest food inflation. Many families in Ghana today cannot put food on the table,” he stated.
Read also: I’ll Abolish E-Levy If Elected As President – Bawumia
Delivering his first major address to the nation after he was elected NPP flagbearer, Dr. Bawumia minced no words in declaring his opposition to taxes on electronic financial transactions, declaring that he would abolish e-levy as President.
Dr Bawumia added that his bid for a Digital and Cashless Ghana would be significantly boosted if e-levy is abolished.
Dr. Bawumia also announced that as part of a new tax regime by his future government, he will also abolish the emission tax, tax on betting as well as the proposed 15% VAT on electricity tariffs, if it is in existence by January 2025.
He also announced that his government would introduce what he described as a friendly, flat tax regime for Ghana, which will boost individuals and businesses, particularly small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs).