E-Levy (MoMo Tax)

A one-sided Parliament rejected the 2022 budget which was presented on the basis that the E-Levy's inclusion will not enure to the benefit of the country. The Majority had staged a walk-out but the Speaker said this could not prevent the House from proceeding with the business of the day.

Another one-sided Parliament dominated, this time, by Majority approved the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government insisting the earlier ruling by the Speaker was unconstitutional.

Some MPs that night were engaged in a fistfight following a disagreement during the headcount to decide whether the E-levy bill should be accepted under a certificate of urgency.

Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu-Boahen disclosed that government will return to Parliament before the end of this month with the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) to seek the legislature’s approval of the tax.

Ahead of Parliament's resumption from the Christmas break, government announced a sensitisation campaign geared towards getting the populace on board with the introduction of the E-Levy following a rousing push-back from Ghanaians.

The Finance Minister at a media briefing enumerated transactions that will be affected under the proposed E-Levy.

Despite the growing tensions over the E-Levy's possible introduction before the House during its first sitting for the year, that was not the case. According to the Order Paper, the Finance Ministry had scheduled to put forward the bill for reconsideration in the next week with the hope of getting approval.

A group started picketing Parliament over E-Levy vowing to resist its re-introduction.

Even ahead of its resumption, Parliament was bracing itself for another round of drama.

Starting from the main gate, security personnel are under pressure from dozens of members of a pressure group, Justice 4 Ghana, vowing to fight off the tax.

Mobile Money Association of Ghana petitioned the Minority to ensure the new bill is rejected when it is put before the house. According to the group, the analysis they did on the E-levy shows its implementation will pose a challenge not only to Ghanaians and agents but also have some effects on the economy.

Government holds a town hall meeting on the Electronic Transaction levy (E-Levy) pending approval in Koforifua. The meeting, organised by the Ministry of Information, is aimed at educating members of the general public on the need to accept the implementation of the bill.

Though scheduled for the subsequent week, the E-Levy Bill was expected to be taken through the various stages that Friday evening. But after sitting from 5pm to about 7pm, the House decided that members were exhausted and therefore adjourned to February 1 without the E-levy showing up for a debate on Friday night as earlier envisaged.

Deputy Majority Leader revealed that Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, will withdraw the controversial Electronic Transactions Levy (E-levy) in Parliament. Government is considering the reintroduction of the percentage charge from 1.75 % to 1.5%.

Even before the controversial Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) is passed by Parliament, government officials including the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, seemed to have started celebration.

At the 65th birthday of the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu at Kumasi, the 'E-Levy'-designed cake was cut to usher in the celebration.

Government says a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is not in its plans to restore fiscal stability in the country. Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta insists that the repercussion of seeking an IMF bailout will not be favourable for the country’s fortunes but will rather channel its energies towards home-grown solutions.

“I can say; we are not going to the IMF. Whatever we do, we are not… So let’s think of who we are as strong proud people, the shining star of Africa, and we have the capacity to do whatever we want to do if we speak one language and ensure that we share the burden in the issues ahead” he said on Thursday during an E-Levy sensitisation programme in Tamale.

The Youth Wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) hit the streets of Accra to protest the passage of the E-levy.

The opposition party members are also registering their displeasure against the government’s inability to resolve the ongoing University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) strike action that has lasted for about a month. The aggrieved Ghanaians converged at the Obra Spot on Thursday morning clad in red and black outfits.

The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu revealed that the controversial Electronic Transaction Levy (E-levy) Bill will not be withdrawn from Parliament as it was advertised earlier.

The Suame MP had informed the House that the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta will on Friday withdraw the said Bill and reintroduce a revised version for consideration on Tuesday, February 15.

However, delivering the business statement for next week, the Majority Leader noted that Mr Ofori-Atta will rather make amendments to the existing Bill.

He, however, indicated that the Finance Minister has “given an indication that he would not be ready next week.”

Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong unleashed a scathing attack on Dome Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo over reports that she is holding the government to ransom over the controversial E-Levy bill.

Mr. Agyapong said her purported request to be made the Deputy Majority Leader, a position she served in the previous Parliament, smacked of a lack of ambition.

He also called Adwoa Safo out for her recent activity on the social media platform, TikTok which he believes the Minister has rather prioritized at the expense of her parliamentary duties.

“You don’t come to Parliament and you are on TikTok dancing… Dome Kwabenya is not for [your father] Apostle Kwadwo Safo.." he said on GBC.

Barely 24 hours after being accused of shirking her responsibilities to the people of Dome Kwabenya and engaging in fanciful activities on social media, the MP for the area, Adwoa Safo deactivated her TikTok account.

The account had about three videos of the Dome Kwabenya MP dancing and singing along.

In two of her videos posted on September 29 and 30, 2021, respectively, she was singing along to some gospel songs one in her home and another in her car.

In one video, the Minister was seen in a red outfit dancing to KiDi’s ‘Say You Love Me’ at what seemed to be a birthday party. The video was posted on October 1, 2021.

But all these multimedia files have been pulled down as of February 22 and the account deactivated.

Deputy Finance Minister, John Ampotuah Kumah, says the introduction of the electronic transactions levy or E-Levy will not be used as collateral for the government’s debt.

The Roads and Highways Minister, Kwasi Amoako-Attah revealed that the government will securitise revenue to be generated from the E-Levy to raise bonds for road construction. He indicated that the government looks forward to the immediate passage of the E-levy Bill to accelerate the country’s revenue collection drive.

Parliament has completed the second reading of the Electronic Transfer (E-Levy) Bill.

The Bill was adopted at a reduced rate of 1.5% from the initial 1.75% amid a Minority walkout.

It is currently being considered by a Majority-sided House as some proposed amendments are carried out.

This development followed a showdown between both sides on Tuesday.

Parliament has approved the controversial Electronic Transactions (E-Levy) Bill on Tuesday afternoon. This decision was reached after the Consideration Stage was completed by a Majority-sided House on Tuesday, March 29, 2022.

It was considered under a certificate of urgency. The Bill was adopted at a reduced rate of 1.5% from the initial 1.75% amid a Minority walkout.

President Akufo-Addo signed the E-levy Bill into law.

Speaking exclusively to JoyNews, Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, confirmed that, the President assented to the Bill on Thursday, March 31, 2022. As a result, the Bill, which was passed by Parliament on Tuesday, has now become a binding law which will be operationalised as a revenue measure across the country.

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has hinted that the implementation of the levy may commence in May, 2022.

With what has now become a numbers game, the NPP caucus was counting on Dome-Kwabenya MP Sara Adwoa Safo to beef up their representation in the House to help push the bill through. But the legislator is yet to return from her trip to the US. This is because the MP, who doubles as Gender Minister is demanding that she be reverted back to her former role as Deputy Majority Leader in exchange for her E-Levy vote.

But Deputy Majority Whip, Habib Iddrisu rejected claims that the delay over the approval of the e-levy is due to the absence of the Dome Kwabenya MP from the Chamber.

“It’s not cast in stone that without the presence of Adwoa Safo the e-levy will not be passed,” he said.