Some drivers and road users in the Upper West Region have expressed skepticism over government’s promise to fix the Wa-Sawla road. The residents and drivers explained that government has on more than one occasion refused to honour its pledge to address the concerns on the road. While skeptical, the residents say the road when fixed, will reduce the travel time between Wa in the Upper West Region and Sawla in the Savannah Region.
The residents were speaking to A1 Radio in Wa after the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, read the 2022 Economic Policy and Budget Statement.
“2022, they said they will work Bole-Sawla-Wa road. If actually, they will do that, it will favour our vehicles. You can use three hours now to get to Sawla, before, it used not to be like that,” one driver at the VIP Station said.
Another who expressed skepticism said, “every time, you [government] forget about the people of Upper West [Region]. It is true, you forget about us, you [government] should try and make the road for us. We are begging”.
On the abolition of the road tolls on public roads and bridges, a driver at the Wa Central Lorry Station explained that it has no positive impact on drivers in the Upper West Region. “If someone stays at Wechau, there is no road toll. If someone stays at Tumu, there is no road toll meaning that those of us who stay in the Upper West Region; the remote areas are not going to benefit from it”.
A trader at the Wa Central Market described as horrendous the new levies on electronic transactions. He explained that the charges may be too much for the ordinary business person to bear. “It will be too much for us. Sometimes, I send 20 or 30 thousand to people in Accra for my goods. Assuming that deduction will be going through, it will be too much for us. If they will deduct 1.75ghc per each 100 ghc, multiply by 20 thousand and see. We are not going forward. The profit I will make may not be up to the charge I will pay by the end of the day,” he lamented.
Background
It will be recalled that government through the 2022 Economic Policy and Budget Statement has suggested imposition of levies on electronic transactions.
“Mr. Speaker, it is becoming clear there exists enormous potential to increase tax revenues by bringing into the tax bracket, transactions that could be best defined as being undertaken in the “informal economy”. 78. After considerable deliberations, Government has decided to place a levy on all electronic transactions to widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector. This shall be known as the “Electronic Transaction Levy or E-Levy.” 79. Electronic transactions covering mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments and inward remittances will be charged at an applicable rate of 20 1.75%, which shall be borne by the sender except inward remittances, which will be borne by the recipient. 80. Mr. Speaker, to safeguard efforts being made to enhance financial inclusion and protect the vulnerable, all transactions that add up to GH¢100 or less per day (which is approximately GH¢3000 per month) will be exempt from this levy,” the Finance Minister said.
The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta also mentioned that Major pipeline projects that are expected to take off in 2022 include the Wa – Sawla road.
A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz| Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
