Three Minority Members in Parliament who filed an injunction application at the Supreme Court say they remain more determined than before in their pursuit of justice despite the Court’s dismissal of the injunction against the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-levy).
Ghana’s Apex Court on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, unanimously dismissed an injunction application filed by the three members of the Minority Caucus in Parliament, which sought to block the implementation of the tax measure.
The NDC MPs, who filed the injunction application are Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, MP for Tamale South who also doubles as the Minority Leader, and Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu, and Mr. Mahama Ayariga, MP for Bawku Central.
The three filed the injunction application on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 following the passage of the bill on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, despite a walkout by the Minority MPs.
They had sought to stop the government from implementing the Levy until an earlier case they filed to challenge the passage of the law as determined by the Court.
But, the SC in its predictable 7-0 decision (Unanimous 7) dismissed the application, ordering the Ghana Revenue Authority to keep accurate records of all E-Levy deductions to enable a refund to payees if it is later determined that the law was passed unconstitutionally.
According to the Court, the Republic would suffer a great deal if the government is temporarily stopped from deducting the Levy from electronic transactions.
“Mechanisms do exist within the current tax regime to refund payees who have either over-paid or wrongfully paid, and that must be taken advantage of”.
