Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko

A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has defended the government’s decision to implement the Electronic Transactions Levy (E-levy).

Gabby Otchere-Darko said although the tax policy is not living up to its intended expectation, it is not a bad tax.

According to him, Ghanaians are just apprehensive about the payment of taxes.

“If the e-levy is so far not bringing in the estimated revenues, it does not mean it is a bad tax. It means Ghanaians simply do not want to pay taxes,” he said in a tweet on Monday, June 27.

He had earlier revealed that the E-levy has generated less than ¢60 million, close to two months after its implementation.

He said the levy has failed to live up to the expectations of the government.

“What options are open to the government? The question should rather be: what option, if adopted, will re-inject investor confidence in our economy? Even if we find the $3-5 billion required, will that help? E-levy which was to have given us some 600m by now has done less than 60m,” he said in a tweet on Monday, June 27.