BEYOND THE E-LEVY POLITICS

The one-sided analysis of the advantages of the E-Levy, and the emphasis on it as the only way that government can survive, leaves many questions that we can continue to discuss. But the processes being pursued to get the E-Levy imposed are worrying.

The spectacular drama unfolding since the Finance Minister presented the 2022 budget is concerning to any discerning citizen. The drama has now gotten to its peak with Parliamentarians exchanging blows? Parliament is supposed to be a place of interest articulation and aggregation. It is supposed to be a place where representatives of the citizens check executive excesses. Parliament is the place where laws are made in the interest of the people. It is the institution to which citizens can appeal.

On the contrary, the Ghanaian Parliament has now become a different place where MPs associated with government are so committed to promoting the course of the executive to the extent that the interest of their constituents seem to have been relegated. Interest is of course, a debatable question. But the extreme commitment by MPs in the majority caucus to pass the E-levy makes one think the interest of their constituents has hardly any place in their decision making. The rules of Parliament are being interpreted in ways that baffle the ordinary citizen. The antics of the First Deputy Speaker, and now the Second Deputy Speaker, to ensure Parliament passes the E-Levy bill into law under certificate of emergency (which has not been officially requested by the Executive) is the clearest demonstration of the relegation of the citizen’s interest and a commitment to do the biding of the executive arm of government.

This leaves the citizen with one option. Think about ways to avoid paying the E-Levy if you have concerns about it. This can have some dangerous effects. Digital transactions will reduce with knock-on effects on University students and citizens at the countryside. Mobile money business will collapse significantly. Many will return to unemployment with it’s security implications including increased dependency rates. Cash economy will return with it’s security risks. There will be pressure on the Cedi notes and coins. Government will need to print more notes. The group to suffer will be the elite business community, probably.