The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has stated that government is bent on pushing through the controversial electronic levy.
He said the 1.75% being proposed on the levy will not be changed.
Is the Executive coming midway through the process to withdraw and amend [the 1.75% E-levy]? I’m not sure that’s what we have been informed [that] the Executive seeks to do. I have said over and over again that the Executive’s Bill, as was brought to and approved by Committee, is now before the House for consideration.”
“The intention is to engage and explain why the state needs to raise that money. It’s not the government that wants the money; the state needs those resources to be able to deliver on the very things that we are all asking the state to do”, he told Joy News.
He said the absence of the levy on the order paper for Tuesday’s siting is part of the reasons to allow for further consultations on the controversial bill before it will be submitted to be passed or rejected.
He also said that “the E-levy has already been approved by the Committee of Finance, and the report has been sent to the plenary.”
“As the Finance Minister mentioned, the expectation is that as plenary sittings resume from today, it will be up for consideration. It is not for any reason or a decision to back down on it or throw it away.”
“The e-levy has been factored into all of the estimates that have already been approved and the appropriations that have been approved; what remains now is for us to consider the revenue bill associated with it properly. My understanding is that the Business Committee will determine when to programme it for consideration by the plenary.”
He rejected claims that the government failed to adequately engage the Minority group on the E-levy bill during the recess.
