The E-levy, emissions tax, and betting tax are to be repealed, according to a private member’s bill that the minority in parliament plans to introduce.
This action is a reaction to a recent proposal made by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, who promised to remove these taxes if elected in the 2024 elections.
The Minority wants to handle controversial issues including the e-levy, pollution tax, and betting tax through legislation.
The goal of the private member’s bill is to force the government to reevaluate these levies, which are regarded as annoyances.
In his final remarks following President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Parliament on Monday, Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson emphasized how these levies heavily impact the nation’s companies.
Dr. Forson expressed optimism that this bill would receive support from the Majority side of the House, which had supported Dr. Bawumia’s position regarding the removal of the e-levy.
“The unemployment situation in our country is at a crisis point. Mr Speaker the high cost of living has become a nightmare for many people. This has significantly deteriorated during the depreciation of our currency, especially Mr Speaker food inflation.
“Sadly a recent World Bank report on food security released on the 13th of November 2023 cited Ghana among the top five countries in the world with the highest food inflation. Many families in Ghana today cannot put food on the table,” he stated.
