‘Most MoMo users poor so it shouldn’t be taxed’ – Ghanaians ask Bawumia what has changed

Dr. Bawumi in an interview on Peace FM in August 2020, said he did not support the suggestion that mobile money transactions must be charged or taxed.

He vehemently disagreed then.

“I don’t think Mobile Money should be taxed because most of the people who use the service are very poor people so if you put more taxes on it they will suffer,” he told Kwami Sefa Kayi in that interview.

But in a sharp contrast to the vice president’s 2020 assertion, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has introduced a MoMo and e-transaction tax in the 2022 budget read by Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

“Once the 2022 budget is approved, all electronic transactions in Ghana will attract an Electronic Transaction Levy or E-Levy, as part of moves by the government to shore up its revenue mobilisation,” Mr. Ofori-Atta told parliament on Wednesday, November 17, 2021.

Mr Ofori-Attafurther explained that the upsurge in the use of e-payment platforms as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been an impetus for the introduction of the levy.

It is on the back of this that Ghanaians, especially on social media are asking the Dr. Bawumia and the NPP government, what has changed.

Dr. Bawumia also prior to election 2016 said Ghanaians and businesses have been overburdened by tax.

Below are some of the reaction of Ghanaians on the new e-transact levy the NPP government has introduced;