‘Your excitement will be short-lived’ – Haruna Iddrisu to govt

The Minority has warned the government that the excitement that came with the passage of the E-Levy will be cut short because they are prepared to go all out to prevent the implementation of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) Bill.

The Haruna Iddrisu-led caucus have threatened to contest the decision of Parliament at the Supreme Court.

The Majority caucus has the opportunity to approve the E-Levy after the Minority caucus walked out of the Chamber as a sign of protest and stressing that they did not want to have anything to do with the approval of the levy.

The decision to stay out was reached after the Consideration Stage of the Bill was completed under a certificate of urgency.

Speaking at a press conference in Parliament after their walkout, Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader said, “Even as we prepare to challenge the matter in the Supreme Court, a judicial determination has been made on Article 104 of the Constitution. Clear cut. Anything to the contrary is a sin to Article 104 of the 1992 Constitution and the ruling of the Supreme Court.”

He noted that the parliamentary procedure was breached in the lead-up to the passage.

Iddrisu warned, “those of you who are celebrating with them that E-Levy has been passed and accordingly passed, your excitement will be short-lived.

“It means that you needed at least 138 for any decision. Whether on the amendment, whether on third reading or during the consideration stage that the Constitution so elaborately provides for. So we didn’t want to associate with it.

“At the level of the principle, we shared with the Ghanaian people our rejection and rejection of the E-Levy. We stand same at the same level,” he stressed.

About the E-Levy bill

The government of Ghana is seeking to charge electronic transactions that are more than GH¢100 on a daily basis.

Critics of the proposal have warned that this new levy will negatively impact the Fintech space, as well as hurt low-income people and those outside the formal banking sector.

The levy has been the source of tension in Parliament since it was introduced in the 2022 budget. The tensions culminated in a scuffle between lawmakers in Parliament in December 2021.

The government has, however, argued the levy would widen the tax net and that could raise an extra GH¢6.9 billion in 2022. There are also concerns that the government may securitise proceeds from the e-levy to raise extra revenue.