Special Aide to President John Mahama’s 2024 campaign, Joyce Bawah Mogtari has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to abolishing the controversial electronic transfer levy (E-levy) and the COVID-19 levy, a promise made in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2024 manifesto.
Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show, she emphasized the importance of fulfilling this pledge to ease the financial burden on Ghanaians.
“The E-levy has been a significant concern for many citizens,” Madam Bawah stated.
“In a country where several banks have collapsed, some intentionally, mobile money services have become the main avenue for financial transactions. It is critical to ensure that this platform remains accessible and affordable for all.”
She criticized the levy’s 1.5% rate, contrasting it with other countries where similar taxes are capped at 0.5%. According to her, the high rate has made the levy oppressive for ordinary Ghanaians.
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“For those who have no other options but to transact business using mobile money, this levy is not just inconvenient but stifling,” she added.
Madam Bawah also discussed the levy’s broader implications, including its impact on international development.
“Many development partners used to distribute resources through mobile money platforms. However, the introduction of the E-levy has disrupted these processes, adding unnecessary strain to an already fragile system,” she explained.
She further questioned the Akufo-Addo Bawumia government’s continued collection of COVID-19-related levies, years after the pandemic.
“If we still have these levies in place and yet have not completed crucial projects like Agenda 111, we need to ask ourselves whether these levies serve their intended purpose,” she argued.
The removal of the E-levy was a key promise in the NDC’s 2024 manifesto, and Madam Bawah assured Ghanaians that the government is determined to deliver on this commitment.
“These levies will be scrapped,” she stated emphatically.
