The Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA) has clarified that the recent remarks by its President, Dr Joseph Obeng, on retaining the E-Levy to support SMEs and the proposed Women’s Development Bank are his personal views and do not represent the official stance of the association.

In a press statement, GUTA stated, “We wish to emphatically state herein that his opinion does not represent the stand of GUTA on the matter, though we respect his personal views.”

Dr Obeng, during an interview on JoyNews’ Newsdesk, suggested that the government retains the E-Levy and use its proceeds to fund developmental initiatives, including financial support for women in trade and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). He argued that rationalising taxes and maintaining the E-Levy could provide a reliable source of revenue for such projects.

This is in spite of the fact that the NDC government in opposition promised to abolish the tax alongside others.

The E-Levy, introduced by the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, has faced significant opposition from Ghanaians since its introduction. President John Mahama, during his 2024 election campaign, pledged to abolish the levy, describing it as burdensome to citizens.

GUTA, however, acknowledged the importance of funding mechanisms to support businesses and women in trade but maintained that how such funds are raised should be determined by the government.