If the fundamentals are weak, desperation for E-Levy will expose you - Manasseh

Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has coined a variation of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s famous ‘if the fundamentals are weak, inflation will expose you’ refrain to mock the government over its persistence to pass the Electronic Transaction Levy.

Manasseh Azure opines in a Facebook that government’s determination to force through the levy despite national outrage is proof

Read full articlethat the fundamentals of the economy are weak.

“You can tell all the lies you want, but if the fundamentals of the economy are weak, desperation for the e-levy will expose you”, he posted on Facebook on Saturday, February 5, 2021.

Background

The government of Ghana is seeking pass a new tax policy which will see the imposition of 1.5% levy on all electronic transactions.

The policy dubbed the E-Levy has generated fierce dissent from the opposition National Democratic Congress and its minority membership in parliament amidst various concerns from general populace.

The seeming equal number of representations in terms of numbers for the majority and minority in parliament has led to a delay in the government’s effort to pass the 1.75% levy on all electronic transactions.

The minority who have heavily opposed the E-Levy bill have on various occasions engaged the majority sides in heated confrontations over the bill, which in some instances degenerate into full-blown brawls in the chamber of parliament.

Government on Friday, February 4, 2022 withdrew the E-levy Bill from parliament with a promised to re-table it at a later date.