Christian Kwabena Andrews, who is popularly called Osofo Kyiri Abosom, the leader and 2020 Presidential candidate of the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), has added his voice to the much talked about E-levy, blasting the Akufo-Addo-led administration for taxing Ghanaians instead of providing them with jobs.
The founder of Ghana’s second largest opposition party made the call when addressing journalists in Accra. He noted that the electronic transactions levy is not the way to go because is not popular among Ghanaians. He thus, warned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to withdraw the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy Bill from Parliament if he wants peace and harmony to reign in the country.
The Head Pastor of Life Assembly Worship Centre, Prophet Christian Kwabena Andrews, contended that what the Akufo-Addo-led government should be interested in as a government of the Republic is creating massive employment rather than burdening the populace with taxes.
“We shouldn’t accept this at all. Give people work to do, give them employment, instead of taxing those who are poor already.
“I am entreating Nana Addo and his ministers, for peace and harmony to reign in this very country, he needs to come out and tell Ghanaians that the e-levy matter, he has removed it from Parliament.”
Christian Kwabena Andrews
‘Bunch of liars’
Mr. Christian Kwabena Andrews expressed his disappointment in the current administration, calling all members from the top to bottom “a bunch of liars”. He indicated that his political party– Ghana Union Movement does not lie as in the case of the ruling party.
“We are not a type to come out with lies. Now, NPP has lied to us from the beginning of their campaign throughout these very four years that they have spent with us, and we voted [for] them again because they keep on lying.
“I call them a bunch of liars. From President to the Vice [President] to Ministers of this very country. They are not treating us fairly at all.”
Christian Kwabena Andrews
The 2020 Presidential candidate hinted at contesting the 2024 general elections again, though he admitted that the 2020 elections didn’t go as he expected. He indicated his preparedness to continue to push in order to break the duopoly of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Nevertheless, Mr Kwabena Andrews expressed optimism of winning the 2024 elections given his performance in the last polls, which was his first major political outing.
The Finance Minister announced in the budget statement a new levy to be charged by government in 2022 on all electronic transactions to widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector.
“It is becoming clear there exists enormous potential to increase tax revenues by bringing into the tax bracket, transactions that could be best defined as being undertaken in the ‘informal economy’”.
Ken Ofori-Atta
The introduction of the Bill has been met with chaos in Parliament as members of the two major parties have been engaged in fisticuffs leading to the adjournment of consideration of the bill to Tuesday, January 18, 2022.
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