Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Manifesto Committee, defended the party’s flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, following his recent pledge to abolish the E-Levy.
At the NPP’s manifesto launch in Takoradi on Sunday, Dr. Bawumia outlined plans for major tax reforms, including eliminating the E-Levy and betting tax if elected.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) quickly criticized this move, questioning why Dr. Bawumia, as Vice President, had not previously advocated for the removal of the E-Levy.
In response, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah explained that Dr. Bawumia had initially opposed taxing digital payments before the E-Levy was introduced. However, once the policy was adopted by the cabinet, it would have been inappropriate for the Vice President to publicly oppose it.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah, also the Works and Housing Minister, argued that Dr. Bawumia’s current promise to abolish the E-Levy aligns with his original stance on the issue.
Vice President Dr. Bawumia was clear about his position on taxing digital payments even before the E-Levy was introduced. I’ve stated that he expressed his principal opposition to it when the matter came before the cabinet. However, once a decision was made, it would have been imprudent for him to publicly challenge it. We take collective responsibility for cabinet decisions.
He urged Ghanaians to trust Dr. Bawumia’s commitment, noting that if elected, he would follow through on his promise to remove the E-Levy and other unnecessary taxes.
He has assured that if elected in 2025, he will uphold his original position by removing the E-Levy and other revenue measures he considers unnecessary. There is no inconsistency in this stance.
