E-Levy Repeal: Govt has solid plan to fill revenue gap – Nii Lantey Vanderpuye

Former Odododiodio MP, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, has assured Ghanaians that the government’s new revenue measures, designed to replace funds lost from the repeal of the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy), will be efficient and effective, ensuring minimal public discomfort.

His comments follow President John Dramani Mahama’s recent assent to a series of bills that repealed multiple taxes, including the E-Levy, Betting Tax, and Emission Levy.

Speaking on Breakfast Daily on Channel One TV on Thursday, April 3, 2025, Vanderpuye emphasized that Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has proposed strategies to fill the revenue gap without harming the economy.

“As a member of government, I will be happy to say that the measures that the Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has proposed to be able to plug the holes that have been created as a result of the scrapping will be efficient, effective so that we will be able to go through this without having any serious impact on our revenue generation.”

Addressing concerns about Ghana’s IMF programme and the decision to scrap certain taxes, Vanderpuye argued that some levies do more harm than good and should be removed in favor of more sustainable revenue sources.

“I have heard critics saying that we cannot do this because we are under the IMF programme and we need to find genuine ways of raising taxes, rather than scrapping taxes. But certain taxes, when they become inimical to the development of the people, need to be scrapped instead of being maintained. As you look at other sustainable means of generating taxes that will not directly affect the livelihood of ordinary people,” he stated.

The government’s approach aims to balance revenue generation with economic stability, ensuring that new tax measures do not burden the ordinary Ghanaian.