Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta says he has officially submitted a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin on modifications made to the 2022 Budget.
He stated that revisions have been made to portions of the fiscal policy, following concerns that have been raised by the public and the Minority Caucus in Parliament.
He said paragraphs 442 and 443 of the Budget statement, which relates to Agyapa Royalties Transaction, will be amended and further added that paragraph 829 of the budget will equally be amended to cater for concerns that have come up over the Aker Energy and AGM petroleum by GNPC.
This according, to the government spokesperson on finance, Mrs. Anima Grace, in an interview with Kwame Kontor Boateng, of Lord Fm, the e-levy is very critical for Ghana’s infrastructural drive.
She however said bank transfers, merchant account, and inward remittances are going to be excluded from the 1.75% electronic transaction levy in the 2022 budget.
Mrs. Anima Grace said, on the matter of e-levy having regard to its serious fiscal implications, the government has projected to generate Ghc6.3 billion annually to enhance roads fund, a u-start program for job creation, enhance domestic revenue mobilization and the proposal on the E-Levy is to widen the tax net and generate the required revenue to support entrepreneurship, youth employment to build our infrastructure especially roads and to reduce our debts.
She stressed that “before coming out with this policy (e-levy), a lot of analysis was done about it and contacted 10,000 people and came out that 40% of the Ghanaian population who are poor is using the MOMO, so we decided to eliminate them from the E-Levy because they are the people who can send Ghc100 “.
“The government is listening and we will continue with our consultations with the minority caucus in parliament and other relevant stakeholders to achieve consensus and revert to the House in the shortest possible time “.
Finally, Mrs. Grace Anima calls on all Ghanaians to rally support for the NPP government since they are good managers of the economy and will execute plans and policies to revitalize the country.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Kwame Kontor Boateng
