The MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has asked government to scrap the Electronic Transfer Levy (e-levy) following the decision to engage the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for economic support.

In a tweet, the legislator contended that government gave Ghana two options: to implement the e-levy or resort to an IMF programme. Therefore, government should scrap the e-levy if it has decided to go to the IMF.

"You gave Ghanaians two options: E-Levy or IMF. Having opted for the IMF, any honest government will scrap the unconstitutional and repugnant E-Levy immediately," he stated.

You gave Ghanaians two options: E-Levy or IMF.

Having opted for the IMF, any honest government will scrap the unconstitutional and repugnant E-Levy immediately.

— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) July 1, 2022

He also stated that "perhaps the only positive outcome of an IMF bailout is that they wouldn’t allow Prez Akufo-Addo to obstinately continue with his insensitive, wasteful, oligarchic €20,000 an hour chartered luxury jet travels which have cost the suffering taxpayer over GHS34million in 13 months."

Perhaps the only positive outcome of an IMF bailout is that they wouldn’t allow Prez Akufo-Addo to obstinately continue with his insensitive, wasteful, oligarchic €20,000 an hour chartered luxury jet travels which have cost the suffering taxpayer over GHS34million in 13 months.

— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) July 1, 2022

A statement signed by the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, and dated July 1, 2022, indicated that there had already been a conversation between the IMF boss, Kristalina Georgieva and President Akufo-Addo. conveying government’s decision to engage the Fund.

“The President of the Republic, Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has authorised Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to commence formal engagements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), inviting the Fund to support an economic programme put together by the Government of Ghana.”

Cabinet at a meeting on June 30, 2022, supported government’s decision to pursue an economic programme from the Fund.

The engagement with the IMF, the statement pointed out, will seek to provide a balance of payment support as part of a broader effort to quicken Ghana’s build back in the face of challenges induced by the COVID-19 pandemic and, recently, the Russian-Ukraine crisis.