E-Levy: ‘Dada Bee’s’ must not run Ghana’s economy – Jantuah

The Chief Executive Officer for the Africa Energy Consortium Kwame Jantuah, has taken a thinly-veiled swipe against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, saying Ghana’s economy must not be handled by people who grew up rich, a term locally referred to as ‘Dada Bee’.

According to him, such people who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths are not connected with the daily struggles of the ordinary citizens hence implement policies without considering their plight.

Speaking on GH Today on GHONE TV on Tuesday, November 23, Mr Jantuah said the yet to be implemented 1.75 E-levy is a clear indication that Ghana’s economy must be handled by people who understand the hardships of the ordinary citizens.

“When you have ‘Dada ba’s’ running the economy it is very difficult for them to understand what the ordinary man goes through…we need a national discussion on some of these things and the government must be willing to listen to some of these things.”

Asked by host Serwaa Amihere, whether he is part of the group opposing the 2022 Budget, Mr Jantuah said “The budget is not progressive…this Youstart…Serwaa do you think it is easy to start a business, changing the mindset of the people that is where you start from because there is a saying that government money is for all of us.”

The levy, which is contained in the 2022 budget and economic policies presented by Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta to Parliament on Wednesday, forms part of efforts by the government to raise revenues to prosecute its development agenda.

The Minority in Parliament has served the strongest notice that it will not support the government in its attempt to impose a 1.75% levy on mobile money and other electronic transactions that exceed GHS100 per day.

speaking on Saturday at the opening ceremony of a parliamentary post-budget workshop underway in Ho, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu indicated that his side is convinced that the proposed E-levy by the government is a disincentive to investment and private sector development and would not support the government in pushing through with the move.

He said, “Mr Speaker, our concern is whether the E-levy itself is not and will not be a disincentive to the growth of a digital economy in our country and we are convinced that the E-levy may as well even be a disincentive to investment and private sector development in our country”