News
E-Levy On Tithe: ‘You Have Brains, Use Them’ – John Kumah Tasks Sam George
Deputy Finance Minister John Kumah has asked Ningo Prampram Member of Parliament, Sam Nartey George to use his brains in advancing his views on E-levy taxation on payment of tithe.
Sam George has recently stated that the E-Levy will affect payment of tithe, a claim that government through the deputy finance minister, John Kumah has dismissed.
The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications has, meanwhile, confirmed that payment of tithe via Mobile Money will attract the E-levy.
“Currently as it is, your tithe, once you pay it via Mobile Money would attract the tax,” its CEO Ken Ashigbey is quoted as saying by news portal myjoyonline.com.
Quoting the news article, Sam George asked John Kumah to ‘keep quiet’ when IT deployment issues are being discussed.
In responding to the Ningo Prampram MP, the deputy minister who contended that E-levy applies when anyone uses the electronic transfer platform advised his colleague MP to use his brains.
“@samgeorgegh you have brains use them. Whether E-levy affects tithe, or not is not an issue of IT deployment, it is common sense. I thought the IT community has cautioned you to tread cautiously when it comes to its operations & not to feign ignorance as you always do.
“Your argument is that E-levy is a tax on tithe& offering , this is falsehood because we are not taxing people for paying tithe & offering. We are taxing people for using an online platform and if in the course of paying their tithe, they are taxed for using a platform,” John Kumah said in a series of tweets.
“If you drive to Parliament and you buy fuel which is taxed does that mean we are taxing your work as a parliamentarian?” he further quizzed
. @samgeorgegh you have brains use them. Whether E-levy affects tithe, or not is not an issue of IT deployment, it is common sense. I thought the IT community has cautioned you to tread cautiously when it comes to its operations and not to feign ignorance as you always do. https://t.co/nuaUBjwR0A
— John Ampontuah Kumah (@johnkumah_Esq) May 2, 2022
John Kumah also urged Sam George to desist from making ‘unpatriotic comments’ about the E-levy and to instead ‘keep quiet and learn’.
The Ghana Revenue Authority on May 1 began implementation of the E-levy amidst some reported challenges including taxes on the GH₵100 threshold which is supposed to be exempted.
The GRA has however pledged to refund all wrong deductions whiles it works to resolve all the challenges encountered in the implementation phase of the E-levy.
