FixTheCountry members thrown out of E-Levy townhall meeting in Koforidua – Convener

Government wants 1.75% levy imposed on electronic transactions

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Members of the social pressure group, FixTheCountry, who turned up at the government’s E-Levy townhall meeting in Koforidua have allegedly been thrown out of the event center.

This is according to one of the lead conveners of the group,

Read full articleOliver Barker-Vormawor.

In a Facebook post, Mr Vormawor has alleged that members of the group who were able to enter the Ascension Hall were kicked out.

He added that others who are waiting outside to gain entry have also been prevented by the police.

“FixTheCountry thrown out of Townhall Meeting on E-Levy in Koforidua. #AreWeNotGhanaiansToo,” he wrote

In a subsequent post, he further alleged that the police in their bid to deter FixTheCountry members from accessing the venue have threatened to shoot their members.

“One of our activists was pulled out from the meeting. No reason. Others blocked from entry. Apparently, they were positioned to look out for and fish us out. Police threatening to shoot them,” he alleged in the social media post.

The police, according to the convener, has also sought to censure the media from engaging their members as “one reporter's camera has been seized for wanting to talk to the #FixTheCountry reps who are being stopped.”

According to the government, the Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy) as a revenue mobilization source is to help the government access the needed funding to expedite development across the country.

However, the bill has courted negative responses from the majority side of parliament and a significant portion of the Ghanaian population.

The government in its bid to have a public acceptance of the bill has scheduled a series of town hall meetings across the country.

According to the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, the town hall meeting will help government sensitize and educate the citizenry about the importance and need for the E-Levy.

In his post on Facebook, Oliver Barker-Vormawor said FixTheCountry had researched a list of 50 questions on the E-Ley which it was going to seek answers at the Koforidua townhall meeting.