The Member of Parliament for Adaklu has accused government of deception on the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) after Minister for Roads and Highways claimed the administration will possibly securitize the proceeds to raise loans.
The Road Minister’s claim, he said, has finally let the cat out of the bag and exposed government’s chicanery that the E-levy will help stop borrowing as the country would be able to generate the needed revenue for development.
“Shockingly, the Minister’s answer today has let the cat out of the bag that when we pay the E-levy government is going to securitize it and take bigger loans.”
“In effect, the E-levy would only give government opportunity to do even bigger borrowing than we are doing now.”
“So the E-levy will not stop us from borrowing because when you borrow, you must pay back,” he stated.
Roads Minister Kwasi Amoako-Atta made the shocking disclosure during question time on Friday in Parliament that the government is looking forward to the passage of the E-levy …that would be securitized to raise bonds to build the road sector infrastructure.
The Minister who was in the House to respond to a question on how much revenue the state has lost since the cessation of the road toll stated the state has not lost money since the premature directive following presentation of the 2022 Budget.
During an interview, however, Adaklu MP Kwame Governs Agbodza argued that E-levy, even after implementation will not stop the government from borrowing as disclosed by the Minister.
“The real intention is for government to get the E-levy passed and securitize it and take bigger loans so generations beyond the Minister, me and President Akufo-Addo will be saddled with the debt.”
“I think is insincerity on the part of the government. You can see why Ghanaians are still opposed to this because there is no sincerity on the part of the government,” he added.
The Adaklu legislator argued the decision to stop collection of the road toll in exchange for passage of E-levy is in itself deceptive and argued since when has government have enough revenue for development.
He stated there are other taxes still being collected that government can use to invest in job creation for the youth as the E-levy is being touted.
He pointed out that in the 2022 Budget, the Road Fund is supposed to generate at least GH¢2 billion while in 2021 the road toll accrued about GH¢78 million.
According to him, a government that is broke, GH¢78 could have at least paid NABCO workers so it is not true to say that GH¢78 million from the road toll is not needed.
“We have other taxes that are being collected, why haven’t they stopped those ones too. For the records, we want to Ghanaians to be aware that contrary to government’s comment that the E-levy is to give us independence from the Bretton Woods Institutions so that we stop borrowing, the Roads Minister has exposed the Government’s real intentions,” he stated.
Source: Mypublisher24.com