The Minister-designate for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has indicated that the government would fulfil its campaign promise to scrap the E-Levy and betting taxes.
According to him, the first budget of the Mahama government would have those taxes he said were not leaving up to expectation abolished.
He said this at the Appointments Committee public sitting to vet him for the position of a finance minister when approved by the Plenary.
“Here we are today; I’ve been vindicated. Has the tax solved the problem as intended by the government? Big no. I insist that that tax must be abolished. And as Minister of Finance, my first budget, I will abolish the betting tax,” Ato said.
The nominee, who is the Member of Parliament for Ejumako-Eyan-Essiam in the Central Region, was answering a question from a friend to the Appointments Committee, Samuel Awuku, Member of Parliament for Akuapem North.
He referred to a publication attributed to Dr. Ato Forson on gambling, who suggested that the then government would come up with a policy to restrict gambling and to even ban it.
“And this was a quotation attributed to you [At Forson], honourable nominee. I want to ask and proceed on this. Do you still stand by this position of banning gambling and banning betting and all that in its entirety, or now your position has changed?” Sammy Awuku asked.
In response, Dr. Ato Forson clarified that the contest in which he made that statement was important.
He said the discussion on a show with Kojo Oppong Nkrumah was that a betting tax was being implemented to deter the youth, equivalent to a cent tax, so that they would not be sticking to their bet.
E-LEVY
On abolishing E-Levy, he said his position has not changed. He was responding to a question from Mahama Ayariga, Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, about whether that would be scrapped.
“My position on the E-Levy is well known. I do not intend to run from it. I’ve written articles against the E-Levy. I championed the opposition against the E-Levy. I still stand by them. Mr. Chairman, the E-Levy is neither a direct tax, an indirect tax, nor an incise tax. I don’t know how to classify the E-Levy as a tax practitioner. It doesn’t mean that I do not recognise that the E-Levy rakes in certain revenue. But the fact is the E-Levy retards our progress towards a cashless economy and fintech. We need to abolish the E-Levy,” he said.
Dr. Ato Forson reiterated his commitment that if approved by Parliament, he would abolish the E-Levy in the first budget, which is due for next month, February.
