Looks like the Nana Akuffo Addo led government is bent on passing the E-levy tax despite calls by the majority of Ghanaians that they are not going to pay and the minority in Parliament should make sure the bill is not approved.
A new comment from the Minister of Roads Kwasi Amoako-Atta has got people wondering if the government of the day can’t do anything for the citizens if the controversial E-Levy is not passed or approved.
According to the Minister, his ministry is looking forward for the E-levy to be passed so he can be able to pay road contractors for their works.
Speaking to some contractors at a meeting, he urged them to go out and speak for the E-levy to be passed since they (contractors) would-be beneficiaries of the money received and this would make them work more for mother Ghana.
He said: “…E-levy comes, we get our first share into the roads sector. Within a very short time, all outstanding contractors’ debts will be paid and you can work more for this country. And we expect you to speak, you are going to be the direct beneficiaries and any serious government will not joke with Contractors because the construction industry is where from the unskilled to the skilled people are employed.”
Mr Amoako-Atta continued that “If you want me to circulate very well, pay Contractors”.
The Minister, speaking about the tollbooths’ deactivation, stated that the average annual revenue could not even build a 10-kilometre road.
“…the tollbooth, we were getting an average of GHc 68 million a year, about 5 to 6 million a month all the 38 tollbooths we have in Ghana that everyone thought that we were collecting revenue. We have been saying this all the time and you are Contractors; you know the cost of even constructing a kilometre of road.
So if you get GHc 68million on average the whole year, January to December, you are Contractors, depending on the ground condition, if you don’t take care, that amount can’t even construct 10 kilometers of road”