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General News of Friday, 28 January 2022

    

Source: 3news.com

The charge is for government to make good use of E-levy if and when passed – Government

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta

Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah has indicated that stakeholders want the government to make good use of the E-levy when passed by Parliament.

Following the Townhall meeting held on Thursday, January 27, the Ofoase Ayirebi lawmaker wrote “The charge to us is to ensure that we make good use of the levy if and when it is passed by Parliament and to account for its usage transparently."

During the forum, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, indicated that several development initiatives have been implemented by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo with funds the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) doubted the President could get to finance those projects.

Making a case for the introduction of the E-levy he said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has earned international respect due to the number of all-inclusive projects he has been able to initiate to develop the countries.

“We went through 2017 to 2019 with incredible stellar results as to what we, as a country have been able to achieve, moving from 3.4 percent of growth to somewhere over 7 percent, reducing our budget deficit, and then to 6.5%, moved to about 5 percent making sure that our currency does not depreciate as it used to be and quite stable.

“Also, having the necessary foreign exchange cover to make sure that we can support our currency and import. Again we did the impossible, spent over 14 billion cedis on education, 14 billion on health care, 14.9bn on enhancing our internal security and it comes as what we were able to do with the monies NDC assured we will never be able to get.

“So, the benefits have been for all of us, all-inclusive growth in which about 1.26 million children have benefited from free SHS, 3.45million covered by school feeding program, NADCO 100,000 young persons, the largest in our history and over 334 households are given lifeline under the LEAP program. so, for us, the sovereignty of our people is clear everybody as a citizen has a part in this enterprise of this idea of a Ghana that is confident, prosperous.

“Our president has also earned incredible international repute and our Ghanaian walk outside, even here, NDC or NPP, their heads are high because they know that Akufo-Addo has done it.

“We have to continue these initiatives but the challenge is, where do we get the resources to be able to do this. Traditionally, when you are caught in such a thing you increase petrol and we know the effect it has on all of us.”