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E-levy Delivering Only 10% of Estimated Revenues; Debt Levels Dangerously High – Gabby ‘Cries’ Over Economy
A member of the ruling New Patriotic Party Party (NPP), Gabby Otchere-Darko, has cried over the state of revenue generation in the country.
According to him in a tweet Monday morning, “after 5 months of stalemate and bashing, the e-levy, after implementation, is delivering only 10% of estimated revenues”.
” . . Our revenues remain very low as compared to the rest of the world; debt levels dangerously high, cedi like most currencies, struggling against the dollar . .” he tweeted.
IMANI Research
Researchers at IMANI Africa are predicting that government’s quest to raise some ¢4.5 billion from the Electronic Transactions Levy (e-levy) is not likely to be met.
This is because most Ghanaians sampled in a survey say they have drastically reduced their mobile money transactions since May 1, when the tax law was implemented.
The government pushed through the levy despite heated opposition with experts warning of a reduction in usage of mobile money platforms.
IMANI Africa, a think tank, has been investigating this. Data was collected through a survey of 1,677 people from May 31 to June 17.
According to IMANI, “85.9 per cent of pollsters indicated that they are not in support of the mobile money transaction, and 13 per cent indicated that they are somehow in support.”
King Carl Tornam Duho, a researcher at IMANI Africa, said, “only 7.6 per cent say they are not using Mobile money for transactions at all.”
Meanwhile, a Principal Revenue Officer and Head of the Project Management Unit for GRA, Isaac Kobina Amoako, say it is too early for firm conclusions to be drawn on the impact of the levy.
This, according to him, is because data is still being churned.
Ghana in a perilous debt situation under NPP – Kwabena Duffour
A former Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, has said the ruling NPP must be humble enough to admit that the country is currently facing a perilous debt situation.
In a note, he pointed out that the NPP government has borrowed more in the six years than the erstwhile NDC administration did in eight years.
Dr. Duffour was responding to claims made by the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, which suggested the NPP’s borrowing was better than the NDC’s.
“Ghana’s public debt stock stood at GH¢351.8 billion as at end-2021. The debt stock increased from GH¢9.8 billion in 2008 to GH¢36.0 billion in 2012 and then to GH¢122.3 billion at end-2016. By the end of 2021, the debt stock had reached GH¢351.8 billion,” he noted.
This, he said, means that “the NPP Government from 2001–2008 left a debt stock of GH¢9.8 billion in 2008 and that “under the current NPP Government, the debt stock has increased by GH¢229.5 billion from 2017–2021.”
He further stated: “Does the Majority Leader of Ghana’s Parliament not know these facts, and is this what supports his claim that the NPP has a better borrowing record than the NDC?
“Or is the Majority Leader peddling falsehoods in order to play politics during what can be considered one of the most dire times in our nation’s history? Whatever the reasoning behind the majority leader’s statements, the facts show that they are false and should be corrected as publicly as they were stated.”
Dr. Duffour, therefore, urged the NPP to be humble and admit that “things have not gone to plan over the last 5–6 years of the NPP Government and the country is in a more perilous debt situation today than at any time between 2009–2016.
“Such an admission would hopefully then establish a basis to rally all Ghanaians towards finding lasting solutions,” he added.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
The spokesperson for Dr. Bawumia, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has criticised the implementation of the NDC government’s No Fee Stress policy, arguing that the programme has failed to deliver on its core promise.
According to him on Starr fm, the policy, which was introduced to ensure stress free payment of fees for level 100 tertiary students, has rather turned into what he described as post stress support.
He explained that students are required to pay their fees first before applying for reimbursement, a situation he believes defeats the purpose of the policy.
He questioned claims by government officials that the policy has been successful and that citizens are happy.
In his view, such claims do not reflect the lived realities of many Ghanaians. He stressed that while some people may appear satisfied, many others continue to struggle.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye pointed to the situation of trained teachers and nurses who have been picketing for nearly six months, demanding employment.
He noted that government responses suggesting it cannot accommodate all of them contradict claims of economic stability.
He further argued that economic indicators such as a stable currency mean little to people who are unable to secure jobs or access promised support.
He observed that telling an unemployed teacher or a struggling student that the cedi has strengthened does not address their immediate challenges.
On the issue of tertiary education, he maintained that no level 100 student benefited from stress free fees in 2025, despite the policy being announced.
He added that in 2026, students have already reported to school without receiving the promised support.
He insisted that asking students to pay fees first and seek reimbursement later amounts to support after hardship, not stress free education.
According to him, this approach goes against what was promised during the policy announcement.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye questioned why a government that presents the economy as strong is unable to fulfil what he described as simple and clear promises.
He added that there is a fundamental problem with the way the economy is being managed and indicated that he is prepared to explain his position further.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Dancehall musician Shatta Wale has issued a strong public statement calling for an end to what he describes as continuous attacks on his brand, following an apology from media commentator Awal Mohammed.
In the statement, Shatta Wale acknowledged the apology but stressed that persistent criticism and what he sees as deliberate attempts to damage his image must stop.
He noted that for many years, he has spoken for the streets, the youth, and people who feel ignored by society, while also promoting Ghana on the global stage and creating jobs through his work.
He expressed concern that some media personalities, commentators, and influential figures continue to target his name unfairly.
According to him, the issue goes beyond music and touches on respect, fairness, and national maturity.
The musician warned that continued disrespect toward voices that represent ordinary people could have wider consequences.
He emphasised that the Shatta Movement remains strong and organized, and that the patience of the masses should not be taken for granted.
He added that if systems continue to fail the people, they have the ability to organize politically through numbers and truth, not violence or hate.
Shatta Wale clarified that his message was not a threat but a reminder of reality, stressing that attacking a symbol that represents millions of people can have social, cultural, and democratic effects.
He called for respect, fairness, and unity, saying the voice of the people will always rise.
The statement comes after Awal Mohammed recently described Shatta Wale fans during a public discussion as junkies.
The comments triggered backlash from fans of the musician, prompting Awal to later issue an apology.
By: Jacob Aggrey
