Efforts by the Finance Ministry to win over the Minority in controversial E-Levy has hit another snug.
Government had hoped to get the buy-in of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament to get the bill passed.
This was after telecommunication companies agreed to reduce their 1% charge on transactions by 0.25%.
If this was upheld, the rate would be reduced from 1.75% levy to 1.5%.
According to sources, the Minority Group has been locked up in a meeting at the Job 600 block in Parliament.
During the crunch meeting, the NDC MPs agreed that reduction was not enough to win their support.
This rejection brings the Majority back to square one as they undertake sensitisation programmes to educate Ghanaians on the need for the tax.
The Ministry is expected to re-introduce the E-Levy Bill in Parliament next week for re-consideration following the earlier opposition in the House.
The tax has been the bone of contention since government presented its 2022 Budget statement to the House last year.
The Finance Minister has indicated that the move will increase the country’s tax-to-GDP from 13% to a targeted 16% or more.
But the Minority has also insisted that the 1.75% tax is a tool to exacerbate the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian, which the Covid-19 pandemic has already impacted.
