Razak Kojo Opoku Writes: E-Levy Is A Panacea To Sustain Developmental Projects

Payment of taxes for a Country, tithe for the Christian community and Zakat or Sadaqah for the Muslim community has always been undesirable, however, it is something that must be done to achieve a better outcome.

E-Levy just like any taxes have become very imperative and necessary for the continuity and sustainability of numerous government's developmental projects without a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The E-Levy is for a good cause and as such needs to be supported even as a bittersweet medicine for the economic success of the Country.

Akufo-Addo's government has lived up to the expectations. It is a government, which frowns on nuisance killer taxes. It is on this basis that Akufo-Addo's government abolished several nuisance killer taxes that the Mahama-led government imposed on Ghanaians.

However, E-Levy can NEVER be seen as nuisance killer taxes considering the developmental purpose of the levy in the areas of Youth Entrepreneurship & Innovation, jobs creation, Roads and Infrastructure, and ICT skills training.

The difference between Akufo-Addo's E-levy and Mahama's nuisance killer Taxes is very simple:

1. With E-Levy, there is no way Akufo-Addo's government would seek an economic bailout from the IMF and this would help the realization of the Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda.

It also means that the major government projects such as 1D1F, free SHS, Public Sector Employment/Recruitment, Year of Roads etc. would continue without any form of impediments.

The avoidance of the E-Levy would negatively affect the aforementioned government's projects and even lead the country to seek a bailout from the IMF, something that Akufo-Addo's government may never do because of the consequences that come with IMF conditionalities, including the freezing of the public sector employment and recruitment.

2. In spite of the several killer nuisance taxes which were introduced by former President Mahama to save the economy, the NDC still went to the IMF for an economic bailout which in turn led to the freezing of the public sector employment and recruitment and other unfavorable conditionalities.

The E-Levy is nowhere near the following killer nuisance taxes that were imposed on Ghanaians by Mahama's/NDC Government: 17.5% VAT/NHIL on real estates, 17. 5% VAT/NHIL on selected imported foreign medicines, 17.5% VAT/NHIL on financial services, 1% special import levy, 17.5% VAT on domestic airline tickets etc.

Akufo-Addo's government through prudent management have been able to reduce or abolished Mahama's nuisance killer taxes such as:

1. Abolished Mahama's 17.5% VAT/NHIL on real estates
2. Abolished Mahama's 17.5% VAT/NHIL on financial services
3. Abolished Mahama's 1% special import levy
4. Abolished Mahama's 17.5% VAT on domestic airline tickets
5. Abolished Mahama's 17.5% VAT/NHIL on selected imported medicines
6. Abolished Mahama's levies imposed on Kayayei
7. Abolished Mahama's import duty on the imported spare parts
8. Abolished Mahama's excise duty on petroleum
9. Reduced Public Lighting Levy from 5% to 2%
10. Reduced National Electrification Scheme Levy from 5% to 3%

If the NDC were able to justify why Mahama’s government should collect all these nuisance killer taxes in addition to IMF bailout then, certainly NDC Members of Parliament, Bagbin and Mahama John have NO JUSTIFICATION to kick against the E-Levy which would help the country to be independent of IMF and still continue the numerous laudable projects/programmes by Akufo-Addo's Government for the betterment and improvement of the living conditions of Ghanaians as a whole.

As a country we cannot allow 137 NDC Members of Parliament, Speaker Bagbin and John Mahama who introduced 15 nuisance killer taxes yet went to IMF for a bailout to hold the development of the country to ransom.

As a prudent manager of the Economy, Akufo-Addo abolished or reduced the nuisance killer taxes of Mahama John as well as took Ghana out of IMF bondage.

We cannot allow ourselves as citizens of Ghana to be punished by the incompetence of John Mahama and his NDC Members of Parliament.

Let’s trust Akufo-Addo to deliver and let's rally behind Akufo-Addo's government with the payment of the E-Levy so that millions of Ghanaian children can still enjoy free SHS, our teachers and nursing trainees will continue to enjoy their allowances, ‘Year of Roads’ to continue, teaming youth to gain employment and empowerment as entrepreneurs and innovators etc.

Source: Razak Kojo Opoku