PAP Founder Busumbru backs e-levy

The Founder and leader of the People’s Action Party (PAP), Kwasi Busumbru, has thrown his support for the Electronic Transactions Tax the government has introduced to enhance Ghana’s revenue mobilisation.

Mr. Busumbru lauded and welcomed the government’s decision to widen the tax net by the introduction of the e-Levy to shore up Ghana’s internal revenue mobilisation.

He believes that the government is on the right trajectory this time even though he has disagreed with many policies introduced by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.

He has thus slammed individuals and civil society groups who have kicked against the levy, describing their reasons as incoherent and irrational.

He has also discredited the claims that the e-Levy will impose hardship on the ordinary Ghanaian and deteriorate the economy.

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, in his presentation of the 2022 Budget Statement, said the government would charge 1.75 percent on electronic transactions covering mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments, and inward remittances, which shall be borne by the sender.

Kwasi Busumbru, one of the 2020 disqualified presidential candidates, commenting on the 2022 budget in an interview with Onua TV, stressed that he is all for the e-levy and the closure of tollbooths in the country.

“Personally, I am in support of the e-levy because looking at a country of over 30 million and just 2 million paying taxes, it means that we have a problem and no wonder this country is going down so fast.

“If we don’t approve this e-levy and the closure of the tollbooths, Ghana will keep going down because we need taxes to develop our country,” he reiterated.

He underscored the e-levy as coming to help stimulate the economy and as well as enhance the development of all sectors in the country.

He has thus appealed to the Members of Parliament on both sides to fast track the process of approving the 2022 budget and do so devoid of their political affiliations.

Meanwhile, Mr. Busumbru has prayed that the government will put austerity measures in place and use the proceeds from the e-levy purposefully to transform Ghana.