E-Levy: Finance Minister unable to present reviewed bill this week

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta is unable to present the reviewed Electronic Transfer Levy Bill, next week.

This is according to the Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who stated that the Finance Minister will not be able to present the bill before the house on Tuesday, February 15 as earlier projected.

He added that the house will be informed about a new date for the interrogation and possible passage of the bill.

Speaking on the floor of parliament on Friday, the Effutu MP said, “Mr Speaker, as members may be aware, in my presentation of the business statement last week, I did indicate that the Minister of Finance had given an indication of the possibility of withdrawing the Electric Transfer Levy Bill, 2021 today Friday, February 11, 2022. Another option stated was the withdrawal of the Bill in Parliament and the substitution of a new Bill that would include the amendment that the Committee had consensually agreed on could be on Tuesday 15 February 2022. The sponsoring Minister has given an indication that he would not be ready next week. The house would be accordingly informed about a new date for the interrogation and possible passage of the bill.”

The controversial E-Levy seeks to impose a 1.75% levy on transactions, including Mobile money transfers done between accounts on the same Electronic Money Issuers (EMI), Mobile money transfers from accounts on one EMI to a recipient on another EMI, Transfers from bank accounts to mobile money accounts (either directly, GIP debit, bank cards or another scheme), Transfers from mobile money accounts to bank accounts (either directly, GIP debit, bank cards or another scheme) and Bank transfers originating from a bank account belonging to an individual.

But the introduction of the bill has met stiff opposition from well-meaning Ghanaians including the opposition NDC who argue it will further compound the hardships of the ordinary Ghanaian.