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The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has hit back at former President John Dramani Mahama over comments that the next National Democratic Congress government will scrap the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy.)

According to the party, the former President and the NDC will not even win power to allow them to cancel the levy.

In an interview on Accra-based Peace FM on May 9, General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu indicated that the comment from John Mahama was to pacify his followers.

He further stated that revenue from the tax handle will be used for the development of the country.

“If you [John Mahama] win, that is when you can change it. What if you don’t win, what will you do? We have heard these promises a lot. When we brought ‘talk tax’, they embarked on a demonstration.

“When they [NDC] came, they rather increased it. They may probably don’t have any idea of how to think outside the box to help the country, but when we [NPP] finish implementing [the E-levy]….he [John Mahama] won’t even come to [power] say you [Mahama] will cancel it.

“Let’s hope that the needed resources the E-levy will generate will come for us to use it for development which benefits Ghanaians. If you say when you come you will scrap it, you are just saying something to pacify or please your people or because you are in opposition, you are just saying something,” John Boadu said on ‘The Platform Show’ on Peace FM.

Background

John Dramani Mahama at a public lecture dubbed “Ghana At A Crossroads” on May 2 reiterated the NDC’s commitment to abolish the E-levy when it wins power.

According to him, the levy which the NDC has labeled as “draconian” is imposing an extra burden on Ghanaians.

“We in the NDC do not oppose taxation as a principle. We will not be pretentious and couch fanciful slogans to condemn the principle of taxation like the NPP did in the past.

“We are, however, implacably opposed to distortionary and burdensome taxes like the e-levy that only force Ghanaians to endure more suffering.

“A new National Democratic Congress Government, God willing and with the votes of the sovereign people of Ghana – in 2025 – will repeal the E-Levy Act.,” John Mahama told the gathering.