National President for the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), Joseph Obeng, has urged government to roll out clear measures to assure the public that revenue from the Electronic Transaction Levy (e-levy) will be put to good use.

Speaking on the Super Morning Show, on Friday, April 8, 2022, he said in spite of their support for the government to expand the tax net, the government must also do its part to ensure revenue generated is put to good use in order not to discourage taxpayers from their tax obligations.

“We have been lamenting that the people who pay taxes are just a few. The input that we have been making to government is to make sure that they expand the tax net. We petitioned the government to tax online businesses because that has become the new norm that is taking away the traditional businesses and they are not paying legitimate taxes. So the e-commerce tax that came we had a serious input in that. In that regard, any effort by the government to expand the tax net, we are all for it.  

“Having said all these things, when we pass the E-lvey, when we pass the E-commerce and then no duty, we have to get the assurance of value for money for expenditure,” he added.

Also, he stated that “even though government is making the attempt to expand the tax net, the affordability of the taxes is very important to ensure compliance.”

In spite of this, he entreated the government to as much as possible, cut down on its expenditure to save the economy.

“Most of the things that we are also doing as a government. The expenditure patterns for our political flagship programmes should be laid on the table and cut programmes that are not very very important so that by saving through the expenditure that we are doing, we are also enhancing our lots in the economy.

“In as much as we support government’s quest to expand the tax net and have more revenue, let’s dwell on the expenditure patterns so that at least that bring some savings to us and bring us some respite,” he added.

This comes after the Vice President's address on Thursday, April 7, 2022. The Vice President spoke at an event organised by the Tertiary Education Confederacy of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Dubbed, the National TESCON Training and Orientation Conference, it offered an opportunity for him to speak on the prevailing economic challenges in Ghana.

Dr. Bawumia spoke about a number of issues regarding digitalization and the state of the economy. In view of the fact that he has publicly expressed his objection to taxing mobile money transactions, one of the many issues many Ghanaians were expecting Dr. Bawumia to address was the government's justification for the e-Levy, but Dr. Bawumia only mentioned it in passing.