Reigning VGMA ‘Artist of the Year’, Diana Hamilton has urged government and lawmakers to prioritize the interest of Ghanaians when finalizing the decision on the controversial E-levy Bill.
While admitting that she has little knowledge about the ongoing tax policy, the ‘Adom Nyame’ hitmaker noted that as a Ghanaian, she hopes that the policy will favor the ordinary Ghanaian.
“I’ve heard people talking about it, but I don’t know what it entails. I think it is the topic for discussion at the moment, and there is a lot of debate ongoing. I pray that whatever decision comes out of that will favor the Ghanaian”.
Diana Hamilton
Netizens Call on Entertainers to Fight Against E-Levy
Many Ghanaians have expressed their displeasure since the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, announced government’s decision to introduce the electronic transaction levy. Many have taken to social media to chastise the move and have described the policy as means to loot the average Ghanaian of the little income he or she makes.
Some netizens are also backlashing entertainment industry players in Ghana for not speaking against the E-Levy. Most netizens believe that Ghanaian entertainers should emulate their Nigerian counterparts. They noted that the key industry players should stand up against the e-levy like Nigerian artists, who fought for their people during the #EndSars campaign.
A social media user @Founda tweeted: “Nigerian artists were fighting for their people during that end sars period. But Ghanaian celebrities are quiet about this E-levy. Alright, they should be quiet”. @Founda then went on to caution that when Ghanaians are supporting Nigerian artists more than they do to Ghanaian artists, they shouldn’t complain. According to him, they should remain silent like now.
Another netizen known on Twitter as @Fawogyimiiko, tweeted: “When we stop using momo, and we don’t get money for bundle to stream their songs, that is when they will understand the depth of the issue”.
Meanwhile, others were in support of the silence of the industry players. They argued that silence can never be misquoted, hence no one would tag the entertainers as being affiliated with any political party.
“Has E-levy shed any blood, brutalized any innocent soul yet. Our hypocrisy is why artists find it difficult to fight a certain government because you guys will associate them, with a certain party. Let Kwaw Kese or Reggy fight now, NPP guys will attack them Who are we deceiving?”, social media user, @Maameafriye lamented.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance is expected to re-introduce the E-Levy Bill in Parliament for reconsideration following the earlier opposition in the House. The tax has been the bone of contention since government presented its 2022 Budget statement to the House last year.
The Finance Minister indicated that the move will increase the country’s tax-to-GDP from 13% to a targeted 16% or more. However, the Minority has also insisted that the 1.75% tax is a tool to exacerbate the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian, which the Covid-19 pandemic has already impacted negatively.
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