Audio By Carbonatix
Members of Parliament will, from today, November 23, commence debate on the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy.
Deliberation on the budget statement presented by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, is expected to end on Friday, November 26.
On Wednesday, Mr Ofori-Atta presented the ‘Agenkwa Budget’ and proposed several executive methods to generate and expend revenues.
According to him, government intends to enhance job creation, thus, will roll out a ¢1 billion ‘YouStart’ initiative.
Among other things, Mr Ofori-Atta said government will find innovative ways to generate revenue after it scrapped the payment of tolls on tolled roads.
As such, he said government will introduce a 1.75% levy on all electronic transactions effective January 1, 2022.
However, a section of Ghanaians, including the Minority in Parliament and some economists, have kicked against this newly introduced Electronic-levy.
The opposers argue that the move will intensify the hardships of the average Ghanaian.
While the Majority in Parliament believes that the budget contains all the relevant measures to stimulate the economy's growth, the minority caucus is of another view.
At the post-budget workshop in Ho on Saturday, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, said that the NDC caucus will kick against the 1.75% e-levy.
According to him, the tax is a disincentive to investments and private sector development.
“Our concern is whether the e-levy itself will not be a disincentive to the growth of a digital economy in our country. But, on the contrary, we are convinced that the e-levy may as well even be a disincentive to investments and private sector development in our country.
" We in the Minority will not support the government with the introduction of that e-levy. We are unable to build a national consensus on that particular matter,” he was categorical.
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