The Member of Parliament for Binduri in the Upper East Region who doubles as the Deputy Minister for Housing, Abdulai Abanga has said while the collection of tolls may have ceased, the decision is not definite and could see a reversal when the conditions are right.
Speaking on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East, Mr. Abanga said having done a cost-benefit analysis of the toll system, the government deemed it necessary to scrap the toll collection system and the investment into the area was not worth the ghc 78-million per annum return.
He insisted that the scrapping of the collection of tolls was not in any way to placate Ghanaians against the introduction of the E-levy.
That being said, the collection of tolls may return.
“How much is ghc 78 million a year? When you are doing things like these, you have to look at the cost-benefit analysis. How much does it cost you to do it and how much do you generate from that project. Clearly, government has realised that it is more expensive to run the toll booths if you put everything together; both the financial side and the social cost side”.
“It does not mean that the toll booth system is going to be completely cancelled. I am sure that we are going to have a system later where some special roads would be constructed and tolled and then a god rate would be applied on it,” he said.
Mr. Abanga continued to say that “analysts have gone through it and have seen that using the E-levy system, would be better than the tolls”.
On the same platform, Mr. Abanga said the displeasure shown by Ghanaians as the conversations around the E-levy continues is understandable. He said the disgruntled Ghanaians who have expressed their unwillingness to support the government in its attempt to tax digital transactions, is underpinned by the disinclination of the average person, anywhere around the world, to paying taxes.
Mr. Abanga justified the government’s insistence on the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-levy). He has also explained the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta’s shock about the fierce opposition that the E-levy has faced, particularly by young people including beneficiaries of the Free Senior High school Programme.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Daffiama-Bussie-Issa (DBI) in the Upper West Region, Dr. Sebastian Sandaare said it should be apparent to the government that Ghanaians are totally opposed to the idea of the E-levy. The Bill which will give room for the implementation of the E-levy is yet to be passed in Parliament.
Dr. Sandaare explained there are other ways the government could generate revenue without having to impose on Ghanaians E-LEVY.
A1radioonline.com|101.1 MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith |Bolgatanga|Ghana
