Minority shun 1.5% E-levy reduction by government
The government proposal to reduce the rate of the proposed Electronic Transactions Levy from 1.75% to 1.5 percent has been rejected by the Minority in Parliament. The reduction according to government, is informed by the concession from Telecommunications to cut down their 1% charge on transactions by 0.25%. The e-levy was introduced by the government through the Finance Minister during the 2022 Budget on basic transactions related to digital payments and electronic platform transactions. Per the Finance Minister, the E-levy will apply to electronic transactions that are more than GHS 100 on a daily basis. This is different from the 1% telecommunications charge on transactions. According to the budget, up to 0.25 percentage points of the 1.5 percent e-transaction levy or 16.7 percent of the yield from the levy, should be used to support road infrastructure development. Ten percent of the 0.25 percentage points, i.e. 1.67% of the yield from the levy, would be dedicated to the improvement in public transportation, including the purchase of buses. However, the levy since it announcement by the Finance Minister has received some level of criticism especially from the opposition NDC, because of its impact on mobile money transactions and poor Ghanaians that use it. The minority said they will not support the E-levy passage in Parliament. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
JUST IN: Date for NPP internal elections announced, check and see other important info
The Governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced dates for its internal elections to elect party officers. The party intends to elect party officers who will take over the administration of the party and steer affairs to ensure that the party is retained in the 2024 election. According to the timelines provided, the elections will begin with the polling station elections which has been scheduled for 19th February -5th March. Electoral Area Elections has been scheduled for 18th – 20th March whiles Constituency Elections will be held from 22nd -24th April. Regional Elections is scheduled to take place from 20th -22nd May whiles National Elections will take place from 14th -16th July. Read Statement Below The National Council of the NPP has set down timelines for the conduct of its internal elections to elect officers right from the polling stations to the National. TIME TABLE FOR 2022 NPP INTERNAL ELECTIONS Polling Stations Elections 19th February -5th March Electoral Area Elections 18th – 20th March Constituency Elections 22nd -24th April Regional Elections 20th -22nd May National Elections 14th -16th July So we have the following officers taken charge of the album and the elections at the polling station: Chairman Secretary Research and Election MP”s Rep Regional Rep NPP INTERNAL ELECTIONS UPDATE Polling Station* 19th Feb – 5th Mar Nomination form gh10.00 Electoral Area Coordinator* 18th – 20th Mar Nomination form gh50.00 Constituecy* 22nd – 24th April Filling fee: Chairman gh500.00 Others gh200.00 Region* 20th- 22nd May Filling fee: chairman gh5,000.00 Others gh2,000.00 National* 14th – 16th July Filling fee: chairman gh20,000.00 Vice gh15,000.00 Secretary gh 10,000.00 Others gh8,000.00 Wings gh 6,000.00 Source: MyNewsGh.com Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
‘You are behaving like a drunk, borrowing and chopping stop insulting Ghanaians’—Dr. Adongo fires governments
A Development Economist with the University for Development Studies (UDS) Dr. Michael Ayamga-Adongo has cautioned the government not to take Ghanaians for granted by their way of thinking that Ghanaians do not understand the meaning of the Electronic levy charge which has so far received some level of backlash from some set of Ghanaians especially the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). Meanwhile, the government has already started engaging its citizenry through Town Hall meetings, according to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta during his engagement with the media, the move is to explain better the importance of E-levy to the people. However, Dr. Adongo on his Facebook wall on Friday, January 28, 2022, believes: “This government takes Ghanaians for granted. To even think that we the citizens do not understand and need education about this Electronic theft called E-levy is condescending”. He pointed He added: “We are not morons. We know you have been lying all along when you told us the fundamentals of the economy were strong. We know it has become too difficult for you to borrow because you have been behaving like a drunk, borrowing and chopping”. “The lenders have weighed your economy and found you unworthy of credit so they either refuse to lend to you or do so at unsustainable interest rates. We know the lenders know you have mortgaged our resources to lenders”. “They know the record debt to GDP you have achieved means even if you were using all of Ghana’s annual output to pay debts it would take us a decade to pay the principal of the debt stock. That is why you have returned to squeeze the masses”. “Since when did you know education is important? When you went borrowing did you educate us? When we expressed worry you told us people were lending to you because they had confidence in your management of the economy. You never told us we will bear the immediate consequences. Now that your economy is rated B minus with negative outlook that is also a record since these agencies started rating Ghana) your return to loot our meager pesetas”. He said “Come to think of it. Did you forget of youth employment at the peak of your bromance with financial markets? You now want to use youth employment as a smokescreen to rob money directly from peoples’ wallets and pockets. We didn’t even get to this during the dreaded structural adjustment years. The failure doesn’t amaze me. What amazes me is your boldness to hold your head high in this hopeless situation and call us ignorant”. Dr. Adongo posted Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
Persuade your MPs to pass e-levy and hold me accountable for all expenditure—Ofori Atta to Ghanaians
A Development Economist with the University for Development Studies (UDS) Dr. Michael Ayamga-Adongo has cautioned the government not to take Ghanaians for granted by their way of thinking that Ghanaians do not understand the meaning of the Electronic levy charge which has so far received some level of backlash from some set of Ghanaians especially the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). The Minister echoed that the time has come for citizens to share the burden in the development of the country with the Government by paying that tax. Mr. Ofori Atta insisted that the e-levy would help increase revenue as the country moved into an e-commerce economy, and invest such revenues into debt sustainability, infrastructure development and youth entrepreneurship. “What I was really expecting Parliament was to say, we’re going to get 6.9 billion from this new tax revenue measure. So how then do you Finance Minister report to me Parliament on a quarterly basis on the uses of the fund and its application so that we move on,” he stated. Meanwhile, touching on the concerns by some people that the 1.75 percent was high, Mr. Ofori-Atta, explained that the Government had engaged telecommunication operators to accept a 0.25 percent absorption to cushion Ghanaians. “You go to the issue of 1.75 percent e-levy and people will say that’s too high even though we exempted transfers of less than a 100 cedis. The arguments were coming ‘fast and furious and we had to listen and reassess that in terms of the impact of the 1.75 percent. We were able to come down by 0.25 percent by the telcos, which means that the impact will go down for the average Ghanaian,” he said. “We will still be able to retain revenues needed for these three critical areas of debt sustainability, infrastructure build-up and ensuring that our YouStart programme becomes a standard in our socio-economic development.” He pointed Mr. Ofori-Atta said this at the closing ceremony of the 73rd University of Ghana Annual New Year School and Conference in Accra on Wednesday. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093
How many of those 5 million trees initiated by President Akufo-Addo is sustained? –VBO
“The President of the Republic of Ghana has led us in an exemplary leadership by planting 5 million trees on the 12th of June 2021, how many of those trees have been sustained? The Executive Director of a youth lead environmental-focused group, Visionary Buluk Organization (VBO) Ernest Alaazy questioned, after suggestions to cut down the iconic trees inherited by the people of Sandama over a long period. Concerned residents of Sandema in the Bulisa North Municipality of the Upper East Region have expressed disquiet over pressure from the contractor working on the Sandema Fumbisi road to fall the trees along the road. According to them, amid the threat of global warming and perennial flooding in the area, the decision to cut down the trees will defeat the government Green Ghana agenda. They have implored on the engineers and the contractors to find innovative means to construct the road while preserving the iconic trees. Rising global temperatures continuously affect the basic needs of life; water, food, and shelter; this is evident in irregular rainfalls, high rises in sea levels, and temperature in Ghana. The upcoming 27th session of the Conference of the Parties, which will be held in Egypt places emphasis on the need to see progress in the areas of mitigation, adaptation, and finance with the call by Parties to at least double finance for adaptation. In 2020, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo at a durbar of the chiefs and people of the area announced the award of contract for commencement of work on roads in the district. The President placed particular emphasis on the Navrongo- Sandema- Siniesi- Fumbisi roads. As announced, work has begun on some parts of the road. The construction will open up the area to more businesses and reduce road accidents. Now, Sandema has a price to pay – all or part of the beautiful Mahogany trees would have to go down to make way for the road infrastructure. The trees are a hurdle for the contractor which would be cleared. This is a decision most people are not very pleased with. The Executive Director of youth lead environmental focused group, Visionary Buluk Organization (VBO) Ernest Alaazy who spoke to apexnewsgh.com maintains residents want the road to be expanded and made fit but they, on the other side, do not want to lose the precious iconic trees they have inherited and lived with for a long time. An Opinion Leader in the community Derrick Abakisi called on the government to intervene to address the impasse. A resident of the area who spoke on condition of anonymity also expressed grave concern over the development. Sandema is the capital of the Builsa North District Assembly, home of the Builsa (Bulsa) people and the seat of the Paramount Chief of the Builsa Traditional Area. With an estimated land size of 816 squared km and a population of over 56, 477 inhabitants, the area lies Westward of the Upper East Region, sharing borders with the Kassena-Nankana Municipal and West District Assemblies. Aside from the beautiful culture, food, and the peace-loving people, another beautiful sight to behold as one moves into the Sandema town is the long line of the tall, ancient and iconic mahogany trees nicely standing on both sides of the major street. The jealously guarded trees have wide branches sprout with thick leafy cover and branches intertwined from each side creating a nice canopy, saving travelers from the heat of the Sun, beautifying the street, and ushering them into the town with fresh air blowing gently. But with a road expansion project underway, there are concerns the iconic trees will be destroyed. The trees have become part of the town’s identity and the people have immense love for them. Residents have pledged to go to any extent to protect them. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Prosper Adankai/ News Contributor Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093