Godfred A. Bokpin, a professor of finance and economist, has praised Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for his plan to do away with the electronic transaction level (E-levy) in the event that he is elected president.
He called Dr. Bawumia’s choice a “bold step.”
Prof. Bokpin says that rather than waiting until after he is elected, Dr. Bawumia, in his capacity as Vice President, can use his current power within the New Patriotic Party to advocate for the elimination of the e-levy and other levies.
Prof. Bokpin said in a Monday radio interview with Accra’s Peace FM that the administration decided to move forward with the e-levy implementation despite advice from numerous economists and concerned Ghanaians to the contrary.
Regardless, he applauded Dr. Bawumia’s pledge to repeal the tax and emphasized that the e-levy “has no future in this country.”
On Sunday, August 18, 2024, at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) election manifesto launch in Takoradi, Dr. Bawumia declared he will do away with the e-levy if elected president on December 7, 2024.
The government of Akufo-Addo implemented the e-levy in May 2022 in an effort to raise additional funds for national projects.
Prof. Bokpin responded to Dr. Bawumia’s promise to repeal the tax by pointing out that other presidential candidates, including the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), have also promised to halt the e-levy if they are elected.
