Ghana is almost broke so we all must accept the E-levy to allow development – Ken Ofori-Atta

Ghana is almost broke so we all must accept the E-levy to allow development – Ken Ofori-Atta

Ghana is almost broke: Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has said at a town hall meeting that Ghana is literally broke and hence the dire need for the passage of the e-levy bill to help avert the situation.

According to him, the government cannot carry out a lot of projects and also increase salaries and other benefits because there is no money.

This, according to him, is the main reason why Ghanaians must come together and accept the controversial electronic transaction levy (E-Levy) in order for the nation to develop.

Speaking at a town hall meeting in the Upper West regional capital, Wa, on Monday, 21 February 2022, Mr. Ofori-Atta emphasized that: “I look at teachers and civil servants for example, and I will be the first to admit that the salaries are indecent, nobody will argue with that. At the same time, it is 60 percent of all the revenue we collect from 700,000 people [go into salary payment,] which is also a fact.”

“So yes, there is a legitimate demand for more and there is a legitimate reality that there is no money. So what do we do as a society? Then you ask me to give you more salary, which is fine, then I say, but it is your colleague civil servants who collect the money, so how can you be responsible for collecting the money, not collect it and then tell me to give you the money. That will be another issue.”

However, at the town hall meeting, some residents of Wa have proposed that the E-levy be reduced to 0.5% and gradually be increased to 1% in the subsequent years. According to them, with this people will be encouraged to continue patronizing the mobile money services.

—Accramail.com