https://www.myjoyonline.com/e-levy-is-a-complete-rip-off-and-plain-government-thievery-sam-george/-------https://www.myjoyonline.com/e-levy-is-a-complete-rip-off-and-plain-government-thievery-sam-george/
Ningo-Prampram MP, Sam George

Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George, has described the proposed electronic transaction levy as a "taxation Ponzi scheme designed to tax the same value of money multiple times."

In a Twitter post on Saturday, he said government's drive to introduce this levy will prove counterproductive.

"The more I process the e-levy, the angrier I get. It is a complete rip off. It is a taxation ponzi scheme designed to tax the same value of money multiple times."

"It is plain government thievery and I cannot vote to approve a budget that has that levy included," he wrote.

The e-levy, which was contained in the 2022 budget presented to Parliament on Wednesday, will be imposed on all electronic transactions covering mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments, and inward remittances which shall be borne by the sender.

Some Ghanaians including the Minority in Parliament have already kicked against it, arguing that the move will intensify the hardships of Ghanaians.

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said at a post budget workshop for MPs in the Volta regional capital, Ho that his side cannot build consensus on the tax, saying they remain unconvinced about the justification for the tax.

“We in the Minority may not and will not support government with the introduction of that particular e-levy. We are unable to build national consensus on that particular matter,” he stated.

Responding to a comment on his post, Sam George explained that service charges by telecommunication companies are worth it but not the levy government is proposing.

"I agree the Telcos need to consider the quantum of their service charges but they are providing you a service. What you are asking is akin to saying you want to make calls without a charge."

"But what service is the government rendering on MoMo that it is charging 1.75%?" he quizzed.

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