The Deputy Majority leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has disclosed that the main basis for the E-levy implementation is to tackle road and job creation issues in the country.
Speaking on the controversial levy, Afenyo-Markin averred the levy would serve as a channel for the provision of revenue to resolve the issues in these two areas.
“We are saying that two main things form the basis for the introduction of the E-levy; our roads and job creation.”
Alexander Afenyo-Markin
According to the Effutu MP, the E-Levy is necessary for these two and other key developmental projects in the country. He acknowledged the fact that Ghanaians have concerns with the E-Levy but posited the policy is in their interest likening it to the Free SHS policy.
“Ghanaians expect some reduction. For now, we are taking full political responsibility but we need to explain to the people like that of the free SHS. This is a necessary one to provide comfortability for all Ghanaians.”
Alexander Afenyo-Markin
Afenyo Markin stated that the system that is being introduced will allow the regular inflow of funds.
“Government has identified this as a low hanging fruit and says that look, let’s all tap into it and see how we can use the revenue to solve the road sector issues. There are many youths who are crying. If I open my WhatsApp, there are many youths who are asking for jobs.”
Alexander Afenyo-Markin
Creating an entrepreneurial environment
According to Afenyo-Markin, there is the need to create an entrepreneurial environment to allow for those who want to do their private business “to go in there”.
The Effutu Lawmaker further urged citizens to move away from the attack on the political class and look at the system failures holistically.
The lawmaker averred governments all over the world are facing a situation where they have to find a way of giving comfort to their people. In all that is happening, Afenyo-Markin believes government has managed to sustain all its social intervention programmes.
“Nobody expected COVID. Look at our growths prior to COVID, something that has never been achieved before and even the situation in which we find ourselves in. Not a single one of them has been cancelled. What government is saying is that there is a choice out there, to borrow or to generate revenue.”
Alexander Afenyo-Markin
Commenting on employment issues, Mr. Afenyo-Markin asked trainees of government’s flagship Nations Builders Corps (NABCO) whose allowances have been in arears for about five months to exercise some patience while government takes steps to pay them.
According to the MP, if government has been able to pay the trainees all their allowances since the inception of the programme in May 2018, it will make it up to them.
His comments follow some trainee’s complaints that they struggle to make ends meet for the past few months due to delays in their allowances.
The Deputy Majority Leader following these concerns assured that government will pay them.
“My empathy to them and I want to assure them, if you have been paid all these months and you have five months outstanding please have patience, the government will tackle it.”
Alexander Afenyo-Markin
Commenting on the cooperation of the Minority in the passage of the E-levy bill, Alexander Afenyo-Markin disclosed the Majority in Parliament has had the best cooperation from the Minority.
The MP stated that what the Minority is seen doing in the House is exactly what is expected of them as an opposition.
“We’re a political class with our own ideologies and you should expect that we’re in competition. The NDC Minority in Parliament, with all due respect, they have done what they’re supposed to do, because we have done a number of things by consensus. You should expect that on very sensitive matters that they will disagree.”
Alexander Afenyo-Markin
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