Renowned economist, Professor John Gatsi, criticized Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s pledge to eliminate the controversial e-levy, describing it as a “political strategy.” Prof. Gatsi explained that the e-levy has become a crucial revenue source for the government, making it difficult to remove, especially in light of the ongoing IMF bailout program.
According to a report on citinewsroom.com, Prof. Gatsi emphasized that the IMF may oppose the removal of the e-levy, considering that the bailout program extends beyond 2025. He urged the 2024 flagbearer of the NPP to present alternative revenue strategies he intends to implement if elected.
Dr. Bawumia has made it clear that he intends to abolish the electronic financial transactions tax, known as the E-Levy, if elected president of Ghana. During his inaugural national address, Dr. Bawumia reiterated his opposition to taxes on electronic financial transactions and pledged to remove the tax on betting, among others.
Prof. Gatsi challenged Dr. Bawumia to propose alternative taxes to replace the e-levy if he is elected, as removing it without an adequate revenue replacement would be unsustainable, especially under the IMF program.
