Patricia Appiagyei, the Deputy Minority Leader of Parliament has boldly stated, that the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) still exists in disguise.
The Deputy Minority Leader noted that President Mahama has failed to cancel the COVID-19 levy and he is now talking about the World Bank as if he was not aware when he made the promise.
Speaking in an interview on Angel FM on 15 May 2025, Patricia Appiagyei stated, Mr President, you have not done well. You told Ghanaians that you would cancel the COVID-19 levy, but now you are explaining what the World Bank has done and so on. Were you unaware of all of these things?
“Today, even with the E-Levy, if you want, just check your transaction – it is there in disguise. He said he has removed it, but because there is no name for it now, it is still there”.
She added, “Apart from E-Levy, which other tax has been repealed? No levy has been repealed… He mentioned so many things (levies), but today, he has not been able to do anything about them.”
Meanwhile, the repeal of the E-Levy aligned with the government’s efforts to promote financial inclusion and encourage the use of digital payment platforms without imposing additional costs on users.
Both the e-levy and betting tax faced strong public opposition, with many in particular arguing the e-levy placed an extra burden on low-income earners and hindered digital operations.
The e-levy was introduced in 2022, initially charged 1.5 per cent and was later reduced to 1 per cent, with the betting tax being introduced in 2023 which took 10 per cent betting wins.
Many business owners, mobile money agents, and financial analysts had previously criticized the levy, citing its impact on digital transactions and financial accessibility.
The betting tax which taxed a 10% charge on gross winnings from gambling activities, also faced criticism from investors in the gaming industry.
This move aligns with the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) commitment to alleviating the financial burden on Ghanaians and also fulfils Mahama’s campaign pledge to abolish these taxes within his first 120 days in office if elected.
Watch the video below:
“The E-Levy still exists in disguise—just check your transactions.”
– Deputy Minority Leader and MP for Asokwa, Hon. Patricia Appiagyei pic.twitter.com/TVusPxPVPA
— EDHUB🌍ℹ (@eddie_wrt) May 16, 2025
