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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said that Ghanaians cannot wait until after ten months before what they describe as draconian taxes are abolished.
The main opposition wants the government to abolish those taxes now.
“The time to scrap the draconian taxes is now, not the next ten months.” The General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Kwetey, said at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, February 14 while reacting to the address delivered by Dr Bawumia at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (PUSA) on Wednesday, February 7.
Dr Bawumia had stated categorically that he would abolish the tax on electronic financial transactions, the e-levy if elected President of Ghana. The controversial tax was introduced in 2022, and before the introduction, Vice President Bawumia had declared his opposition to levies on electronic financial transactions in an interview.
Delivering his first major address to the nation after he was elected NPP flagbearer, during which he gave broad policy outlines of a Bawumia Presidency, 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.
“To move towards a cashless economy, however, we have to encourage the population to use electronic payment channels. To accomplish this, there will be no taxes on digital payments under my administration. The e-levy will, therefore, be abolished,” he declared at the UPSA auditorium on February 7.
Dr. Bawumia also announced that, as part of his government’s new tax regime, he will abolish the emission tax, the tax on betting, and the proposed 15% VAT on electricity tariffs, if they exist, 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, including tiny and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs).
