Political goof of the year: 'You are not poor if you can send GH¢100' - Ursula Owusu defends new E-levy

Government to tax electronic transactions from 2022

Communications Minister slams critics of E-levy

Ghanaians peeved by Ursula Owusu

The government of Ghana sought to introduce a new tax policy as part of revenue mobilization policies for the year 2022.

The electronic transactions levy, which is a proposed 1.75% charge on all electronic transactions, including Mobile Money transfers, realized apprehension from the minority side of parliament and a cross section of the Ghanaian populace.

A justification from the Minister for Communication and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, however, did not sit well with the public as her defense for the new levy was largely interpreted as a goof.

With the minimum threshold for affected MOMO transactions pegged at GH¢100, the minister stated that persons who are able to conduct transactions at the minimum threshold cannot be said to be poor, hence, no need for Ghanaians to complain about the E-levy.

Speaking on GH Today on GHOne TV, the minister explained that anyone who has more than GH¢100 on them in a day for transactions should not be considered poor and should pay taxes on their digital transactions.

“We have made it a part of this policy that up to a GH¢100 a day per a person is exempt. This, the state is saying, if you’re sending up to a GH¢100 a day, cumulatively, you can send up to GH¢3000 a month, that is all going to be tax-free.

“Now, if you have more than a GH¢100 to send a day, then you’re not poor. So, if you really are poor and you are in a position to send GH¢100 a day, then we need to re-classify the definition of who the real beneficiaries of these are, and it is only the sender who pays, not the receiver,” she clarified.

Following her definition of who a poor person is, the communications minister has received several backlash with many describing her position as being separated from the reality of economic conditions Ghanaians live in.