Hundreds of Ghanaians are demonstrating in Accra as part of the #FixTheCountry demonstration in opposition to the 2022 budget.
According to the demonstrators, portions of the 2022 budget on taxes are impeding Ghanaians’ progress.
Some of them referenced the Electronic Transaction Levy as an example of a tax that would harm the economy and add to Ghanaians’ misery.
Demonstrators gathered outside the Hockey Pitch in Tema, Accra, and are marching to Parliament House, where they will deliver a petition to the legislative body.
The demonstrators claim they are unhappy with some of the suggestions in the yet-to-be-approved budget and want Parliament to reject them.
In an earlier Citi News interview, one of the movement’s organizers, Benjamin Darko, said, “We are going to deliver a petition to the leadership of Parliament. We believe that the Executive has the power to propose, but Parliament is the only institution that has the power to impose.”
“That is why our constitution says Parliament has the power to impose taxes and levies, and it is not the power of the Executive to establish the power of imposition.”
What did the Finance Minister say?
During the budget reading, the Finance Minister announced the implementation of a 1.75 percent tax on all electronic transactions.
The Finance Minister also said that government services will be increased by 15%.
“Electronic transactions covering, mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments, and inward remittances will be charged at an applicable rate of 1.75 percent, which shall be borne by the sender, except inward remittances which will be borne by the recipient,” Ken Ofori-Atta announced.
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SOURCE: CITINEWS
