98% of my constituents against e-Levy so I’m voting against it – Ablakwa

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said his constituents have instructed him to vote against the passage of the obnoxious e-Levy as parliament resumes sitting today, Tuesday, 25 January 2022.

According to Mr. Ablakwa, he hosted a non-partisan town hall on the e-Levy under the chairmanship of Togbe Azagba, in Mepe in his constituency.

After deliberations, a secret vote was taken to determine what his mandate should be as the MP.

Mr. Ablakwa noted that 331 of his constituents voted against the e-Levy while only four voted in its favor.

“With this unambiguous instruction of some 98.81 percent, the message from those who sent me to Parliament is no tolerance for the obnoxious E-Levy as the House resumes...This is the true essence of representative democracy,” Mr. Ablakwa posted on Facebook.

The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its Minority are against the 1.75 percent levy which will affect electronic transactions.

Several calls on the government to drop the proposed tax has fallen on deaf ears.

The government has explained that the upsurge in the use of e-payment platforms, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been an impetus for the introduction of the levy.

As a result, Ghana recorded a total of GHS500 billion from e-transactions in 2020 compared with GHS78 billion in 2016.

The government says the e-Levy proceeds will be used to support entrepreneurship, youth employment, cyber security, and digital and road infrastructure, among others.