Hon. James Klutse Afedzi, a ranking member on the Financial Committee of parliament has described the controversial E-levy as a lazy tax.
According to the experienced legislator, the government could explore other viable revenue mobilization mechanism than use the lazy E-levy approach.
The Member of Parliament for the Ketu North constituency avers that while about 9 million Ghanaians earn income, who must pay direct tax to government, only 2.4 million Ghanaians are paying taxes, leaving a whopping 6.8 million Ghanaians untaxed.
He stated that rather than pursue these individuals, the Finance Ministry is comfortable sitting in their air-conditioning offices and imposing lazy taxes on Momo and bank transfers.
He reiterated the Minority’s decision not support the E-levies.
‘’All that we are saying is that we are against the E-levy. We have made it known to them and we are going to vote against the E-levy. It is now left for them to marshal the numbers to defeat us on the E-levy, but we will defeat them,’’ he stated.
‘‘Why are they talking about the E-levy? Why are they not going after Ghanaians who earn income through employment, business or investment, where they need to pay taxes to government,’’ he quizzed.
The controversies surrounding the E-levy came to head when members of Parliament were captured engaging in a physical brawl during the consideration of the E-levy bill on Monday, December 20, 2021.
