Former President John Mahama has said if the National Democratic Congress (NDC) win the 2024 general elections, the party will abolish the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy)

The Minister of Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has said the former president John Mahama has a bad track record of reversing policies initiated by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

His comment comes after Mahama promised to repeal the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) when the NDC wins power in the 2024 elections. “I just want to remind Ghanaians that the last time the NDC and Mahama made a similar statement was when the communication service tax was introduced,” he said.

“He [Mahama] argued against it that the cost of internet and talk time will go up by 8% in Parliament and later joined the late Prof Atta Mills as his running mate to make a promise that they were going to abolish the communication service tax,” he iterated.

He added “When they won power, they turned around and increased the rate. So I think there is a clear track record and nobody should be dissuaded by some of these comments, the Ghanaian economy is in safe hands, the 2017 to 2019 window shows us clearly that the NPP and the Akufo-Addo administration had the competencies to bring the Ghanaian economy back on track.”

Next NDC government will repeal E-Levy Act

Former President John Dramani Mahama has said if the National Democratic Congress (NDC) win the 2024 general elections, the party will abolish the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy).

According to Mahama, although the NDC is not against new taxes, the party will not condone “burdensome taxes like the E-Levy.”

Delivering an address under the theme, “Ghana at a Crossroad” on Monday (2 May), Mahama said, “We 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. We are, however, implacably opposed to distortionary and burdensome taxes like the E-Levy that only force Ghanaians to endure more suffering.

“A new National Democratic Congress government, God willing and with the votes of the sovereign people of Ghana in 2025 will repeal the E-Levy Act,” he said.

Implementing E-Levy on workers’ day cruel

Earlier, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) criticised the government for implementing the “obnoxious tax,” Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) on workers’ day.

The NDC said it is “cruel” and “insensitive” for the Akufo-Addo led government to implement an “unpopular” tax on a day meant to commemorate the hard work and fighting spirit of workers.

A statement signed by the party’s national chairman, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo said the NDC will prioritise relieving Ghanaians from their suffering if it wins power in 2024.

“We consider it particularly cruel and an affront to the sensitivities of all Ghanaians, that the Akufo-Addo government chose to impose the unpopular E-Levy tax on Ghanaians on May Day. We know, from all the surveys conducted on this issue, that about 85% of Ghanaians are opposed to this obnoxious tax. We now have a government that has not only lost its way but is insensitive to the suffering of the people of Ghana.

“As we join all workers to mark this auspicious day, we want to assure them that upon the accession to power by the NDC in January 2025, the pains and sorrow of the workers of Ghana will receive our utmost focus and attention,” the statement said.