Government To Give Maiden Account Of E-Levy’s Progress In Mid-Year Budget

A Deputy Minister of Finance, Abena Osei Asare, has said government will give its first account of proceeds accrued in the Electronic Transaction Levy (e-levy) at the mid-year budget reading in July this year for accountability and transparency.

The minister said this when she was asked by the media in Accra about progress in collection of the tax barely two weeks into its implementation.

Addressing some trade associations in Accra at a sensitisation forum on the E-levy organised by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), the minister said it is important for citizens to support revenue mobilisation campaigns as government reciprocates by utilising such funds to ensure national development.

She said the ministry is working with the GRA to ensure that Ghanaians understand the various deductions being made by government vis-à-vis what the telecom companies are charging.

“Come first July when we integrate on the common platform, all these distinctions will be made regarding specific deductions in order to have a challenge-free implementation of the levy,” she said.

She said mobilisation of the E-levy has so far been positively progressive, adding: “Twice in a year, July and November, government is ready to give an account in Parliament about the revenue handles generated both in mid-year and the national budget for Ghanaians to see how much has been raised from the E-levy and all other tax components”.

The levy, which is expected to rake in some GH¢6.9billion annually according to the minister, is part of tax components to realise an overall national tax target of GH¢80.3billion this year.

GRA Commissioner for Support Services Department, Madam Julie Essiam, said the engagement was to educate Ahe associations on erroneous information in the public sphere about the E-levy.

She said the GRA will continue to educate the public and all stakeholders about the levy to get their buy-in, in order to expand and widen collection of the tax while appealing to the groups to support the initiative.

The forum provided an opportunity for members of the various groups to further receive education on transfers, amounts involved, those excluded by law among other relevant information regarding the E-levy.

Representative of the Associations, Abdul Aziz Ali, said the groups have resolved to support government in its mobilisation drive through the E-levy and other tax components. He however said the Associations are expectant of the developments which have been assured through collection of the levy.

Some of the trade groups expressed concern about the nature of roads in their various operational areas, and asked that a significant portion of the levy be channeled into road construction and rehabilitation.