….Razak Kojo Opoku Asks
The debate about the proposed E-Levy has been healthy and beneficial to Ghanaians. Basically, the raging debate is shaping the diverging public opinions on the E-Levy for which reason the largest opposition party – the National Democratic Congress (NDC) – is facing humiliating defeat because right from the word go, the party opted to rely on empty noises and propaganda. Anyway, it is their stock-in-trade.
Again, if it is not empty noises and propaganda sprees from the NDC, then it could be a deliberate misrepresentation or cooked facts just to mislead the public without considering the consequences.
Anytime, this legitimate question is asked: “NDC, where is the alternative to E-Levy” then they take offense to that. At best, in an attempt to defend their position, they would engage in simplistic arguments such as Akufo-Addo-Bawumia led government should focus on fighting corruption and reduce government officials expenditure.
Throughout the debate on E-Levy, members of the opposition party have advanced their arguments on retrieval of certain GHc12.8 billion captured in a 2021 report released by the Auditor General’s Department, which they said is as a result of corruption. In fact, members of the opposition party want the government to forget about the GHc6.9 billion from the proposed tax on electronic transactions by the end of 2022 and go for the so-called 12.8 billion corruption money.
The NDC should read and stop the propaganda. Out of the GHc12.8 billion captured in the Auditor’s General report, outstanding debts and challenges in retrieving loans from debtors accounted for GHc10 billion.
Since when did outstanding debts and retrieving loans from debtors become CORRUPTION?
Could NDC be deliberately lying or just want to be an enemy to development?
Other components of the GHc12.8 billion captured in the Auditor’s General report include tax irregularities, payroll irregularities, cash irregularities and procurement irregularities.
So why should a responsible opposition political party attribute a whooping GHc12.8 billion to CORRUPTION when in fact it is NOT?
Let’s buy into the argument of the NDC members and grant that we have to block corrupt practices entirely and use the money to develop the nation. Former President Mahama had a better opportunity to set an example. Did he?
Did former President Mahama retrieve GH¢3.6 million Smartty’s Bus branding to develop the country?
Did former President Mahama retrieve GH¢32 million SADA paid to ACICL to plant five million trees or GH¢15 million on guinea fowls and use them for the development of this country?
Did former President Mahama make an attempt to retrieve Alfred Agbesi Woyome GHc 51.2 million to develop the country?
Can we take moral lessons from the brothel? Absolutely not. The NDC is playing the ostrich here again because, in 2013, the government machinery under John Mahama over-spent its budgetary allocation by GH¢600 million.
The NDC and former President Mahama woefully failed this Country. However, President Akufo-Addo is committed to providing solutions to the socioeconomic challenges of this Country without necessarily relying on IMF bailout.
The E-Levy is the panacea to raise funds internally for the country’s development and become independent of IMF.
