Mahama has tackled Dr Bawumia over taxes

He posted a video of the Veep speaking against taxes while he was the President

Mahama described Dr Bawumia’s rant as cheap talk

As Parliament looks forward to debating government’s controversial Electronic Transaction Levy, E-levy, Bill when it is reintroduced in Parliament by the Finance Ministry, former President John Dramani Mahama has posted a cryptic reaction on the matter.

Targeting how the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, lashed at his administration when he introduced new taxes during his time as President.

In an early morning, Facebook post on Wednesday, January 26, Mahama posted a Joy FM interview of Dr. Bawumia questioning the Mahama government over the introduction of some taxes.

John Dramani Mahama suggested that going by the said interview of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, “talk is cheap”.

“Hmm! Talk is indeed, cheap,” the former President captioned the video posted on his verified Facebook timeline.

A ‘passionate’ Bawumia, who at the time was the running mate of the opposition leader, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, indicated in the said interview that, to think about the government’s introduction of one percent tax on investments shows that the Mahama led government was very desperate because they had mismanaged the economy.

“…when you become desperate, this is what happens when you mismanage the economy into this hole. Then anything sounds great to you because you don’t have any option. This is the problem, that anything taxable, that can plausibly be taxed, they are trying to impose taxes on it…all of these are hurting the economy; these taxes are hurting and therefore, you are not going to get the growth and when you don’t get the growth, you will not get the revenue and when you don’t get the revenue, you will go back to increase the taxes to get the revenue…,” Dr. Bawumia said.

Mahama has resurrected the video at a time the present NPP government under the leadership of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia are seeking to impose a 1.75% tax on the electronic transactions of Ghanaians.

About the E-levy

On November 17, 2021, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, announced the introduction of a 1.75% tax on all electronic transactions during the 2022 budget presentation before parliament.

According to him, this new directive forms part of strategies to widen the country’s tax net.

He added that the 1.75% tax is also to enhance financial inclusion and protect the vulnerable in the country.

The E-levy since its announcement by the Finance Minister has received public backlash from some Ghanaians especially Members of Parliament from the Minority Caucus.

At a recent press conference, the Minister announced a number of modifications to the Bill and announced that the government continued to engage stakeholders on the bill ahead of resubmission before MPs. Parliament resumes on January 25, 2022.