Dr. Hassan Ayariga, the founder and leader for the All People’s Congress (APC) has emphasised that the 2022 budget presented by the Finance minister, Hon Ken Ofori Atta will worsen the plight of Ghanaians particularly the introduction of the E-levy on mobile money transactions and other electronic transactions.
He made the observation at a media briefing in Accra.
The 2020 APC presidential candidate noted that although the government intends to introduce a new tax and was in the right direction, taxing mobile money transactions will deteriorate the plight of Ghanaians.
“The government had just announced a 1.75% E-levy on mobile money transaction. Some sections of Ghanaians are worried. Yes, we are worried because we pay when sending money and also pay when receiving money. The government must sit with the telcos to agree on one-way payment, Ghanaians can not pay 2.7% when sending and again pay another 2.7% when receiving the same money, it is double taxation on the same transaction therefore we are not going to accept that. We are asking for one term payment so that you pay when sending but when you are receiving you don’t pay”.
“Fellow Ghanaians, going forward as a nation in indebtedness, Do We continue to BORROW or Do WE TAX? I believe we have gotten to the crossroad where borrowing is not an option anymore but taxation is the best option for us now. We need to widen our tax network and institute proper channels to collect tax properly. We cannot continue to borrow. We have to move from borrowing to production, manufacturing, and taxation. Nations are better off when their citizens decide to contribute to their development. The Taxes we pay should be used to build Schools, Roads, hospitals, homes, and infrastructure, etc.”
He continued….”Now my question is, can we trust the Government to make good decisions with our Taxes? We need roads, hospitals, schools, housing projects etc. This country is suffering due to the loud silence from the Clergy, Peace Council, and some civil society organisations whose voices have always been loud enough at other times but have suddenly gone to sleep and not awaken. What has changed? Let us all rise above pettiness and greed. Let us speak truth to power and save our country from sinking.
The people of Ghana are suffering, some cannot even afford three square meals a day. The hardship is killing people slowly. Let us not keep mute and refuse to talk on behalf of our people who do not have a voice of their own. Fuel prices and other utility tariffs are on the rise almost every day, transport fares are increased every week and thereby worsening the plight of the citizens. Many are in deplorable situations”, he explained.
Touching on the scrapping of road tolls, Dr. Hassan Ayariga appealed to the government to compensate all those hawkers likely to be affected.
“When the finance minister announced the government’s intention to scrap off toll booth fees, many people started talking about the issue of hawkers and the others. I am appealing to the government to roll out a policy for street hawkers. I personally think it is a good idea not to take tolls again. I applaud the government for that initiative. Tolls on those dilapidated roads were a rip-off. It was our taxes that were used to build those roads and paying roads tolls on them again was wrong,” he said.
