The\u00a0New Patriotic Party\u00a0(NPP) has hit back at former President\u00a0John Dramani Mahama\u00a0over comments that the next National Democratic Congress government will scrap the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy.)
According to the party, the former President and the NDC will not even win power to allow them to cancel the levy.
In an interview on Accra-based Peace FM on May 9, General Secretary of the NPP,\u00a0John Boadu\u00a0indicated that the comment from John Mahama was to pacify his followers.
He further stated that revenue from the tax handle will be used for the development of the country.
\u201cIf you [John Mahama] win, that is when you can change it. What if you don\u2019t win, what will you do? We have heard these promises a lot. When we brought \u2018talk tax\u2019, they embarked on a demonstration.
\u201cWhen they [NDC] came, they rather increased it. They may probably don\u2019t have any idea of how to think outside the box to help the country, but when we [NPP] finish implementing [the E-levy]\u2026.he [John Mahama] won\u2019t even come to [power] say you [Mahama] will cancel it.
\u201cLet\u2019s hope that the needed resources the E-levy will generate will come for us to use it for development which benefits Ghanaians. If you say when you come you will scrap it, you are just saying something to pacify or please your people or because you are in opposition, you are just saying something,\u201d\u00a0John Boadu\u00a0said on \u2018The Platform Show\u2019 on Peace FM.
Background
John Dramani Mahama\u00a0at a public lecture dubbed \u201cGhana At A Crossroads\u201d on May 2 reiterated the NDC\u2019s commitment to abolish the E-levy when it wins power.
According to him, the levy which the NDC has labeled as \u201cdraconian\u201d is imposing an extra burden on Ghanaians.
\u201cWe in the NDC do not oppose taxation as a principle. We will not be pretentious and couch fanciful slogans to condemn the principle of taxation like the NPP did in the past.
\u201cWe are, however, implacably opposed to distortionary and burdensome taxes like the e-levy that only force Ghanaians to endure more suffering.
\u201cA new National Democratic Congress Government, God willing and with the votes of the sovereign people of Ghana \u2013 in 2025 \u2013 will repeal the E-Levy Act.,\u201d John Mahama told the gathering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n