MP for Ningo-Prampram Constituency, Sam Nartey George, has stated that, he has not done any mobile money transactions since April, when the e-levy policy was implemented. His reason for no longer using the mobile method of transacting money was that, he did not want to pay the e-levy tax, saying that using the mobile money services and paying e-levy taxes was a way of funding the “unconscionable excesses” of this government.
In a panel discussion, Sam George mentioned that there has been several complaints from individuals who use the mobile money transactions about charges being taken on transactions that are even lesser than a hundred cedis. He said that, the NPP blames everybody but themselves for their poor policy implementation.
“We will continue to scrutinize and hold the government to the highest standards of accountability and policy ingenuity that the people of this country deserve. You can’t ask us to come and say ‘yeah yeah’ to every policy initiative you bring even when it doesn’t make sense. So, our job here is not to rubber stamp, our job is to hold you to strict performance and hold you to the highest standards that are expected of people who hold public office.”
Sam George
The MP mentioned that the government should not expect the minority to approve anything that it brings onboard. He however disclosed that VAT was likely going to be increased by another 2% or 2.5 %, and he explained that was going to be one of the highest VAT levels in the world.
“All the noise that Bawumia made with digitization and expanding the tax net; they’re not expanding the tax net, they’re rather saddening the few who pay taxes with more taxes. I don’t see how this is the work of the’ men’.”
Sam George
As head of the economic management team, the Vice President has gone silent on lose achievements, he said. He added that the Vice President was now “auditioning for the Black Stars”, instead of providing solutions for the economic problems that Ghana finds itself in.
Government Proposes Measures To Ensure Debt Sustainability
Meanwhile, in the same panel discussion, Former MP for Okaikwei North Constituency, Issah Fuseini, stated that the government will propose measures that were going to help the country balance its debts and make sure that its debts are at sustainable levels.
Mr. Fuseini explained that matters become crucial when debt sustainability becomes the main topic in the fiscal discussions of the country, due to the country’s dire economic state. He stated that the last time the country was at this stage, some government policies that were put before parliament dragged on for a long time and this ended up having adverse effects on the economy.
“It’s all because some of the people that we deal with or the international community, or the international market actually, lost some level of confidence which led to the downgrading and all of that. We call upon our brothers on the other side of the aisle to join us today to support government in putting out these policies.”
Issah Fuseini
The minister of finance is expected to give detailed information about these policies in the budget reading , he said adding that he hopes there will be a chance to discuss these policies in detail and how the government is going to work around it.
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