E-Levy: A poor Ghanaian is someone who earns GHC70 a year – Western Regional Minister

Government to impose 1.5% levy on electronic transactions

Minority opposes E-Levy

Government sensitizing the public on E-Levy

The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah has maintained that poor Ghanaians will be isolated from paying the controversial Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy) when it is finally passed into law.

The Minister who was speaking at a townhall meeting held in Sekondi on Wednesday, February 2, 2022, noted that the government has ensured that the levy will not affect poor people who send GHC100 or less within a day.

He emphasized that a poor Ghanaian according to research is someone whose annual income is not more than GHC70 adding that such persons fall within the E-Levy exemptions category.

“Poor people won’t pay some, there is no poor person that will pay some. This the analysis I made, in Ghana if they say someone is a poor person; it is someone who earns 70 Ghana cedis in a year.”
“But with the e-levy, if you transfer an amount of 100 Ghana cedis you won’t pay any levy on it. So let’s take it as if you’re a government worker earning like 1,500 cedis and you’re able to send over 100 cedis a day, then you have to pay,” the minister stated.

The government’s intent to impose a 1.5% tax on all electronic transactions has received widespread public opposition coupled with heavy resistance from the minority side of parliament and the opposition National Democratic Congress.

Among various concerns, critics argue that the E-Levy has the potential to further impose hardship on poor Ghanaians.

In a bid to court public support and acceptance for the bill, the government is embarking on a series of sensitization efforts, including hosting town hall meetings across the country.