We'll reverse e-Levy now that NDC is the majority in Parliament – Dr Ayine

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) intends to continue its parliamentary activities even if its counterparts in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) choose to boycott proceedings.

Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, former Deputy Attorney General and MP for Bolgatanga East constituency, made this announcement following a conditional boycott declared by the NPP, led by Alexander Afenyo-Markin.

The NPP’s decision to boycott was triggered by Speaker Alban Bagbin’s declaration of four vacant seats in Parliament, three of which belonged to the NPP and one to the NDC. As a result, the NDC now asserts its position as the majority party in Parliament. Dr Ayine remarked that a “new regime” would be established when sittings resume, asserting the NDC’s commitment to acting on behalf of the electorate. He stated that they would be repealing laws that are repealable during their leadership of the House.

Among the legislation the NDC aims to address is the Electronic Transfers Levy, known as the e-Levy. Dr Ayine has been vocal about the e-Levy, arguing that it is burdensome for Ghanaians.

“We will be filing private members' motions... We will repeal the obnoxious pieces of legislation they have passed, the taxes such as e-Levy and so on and so forth. In fact, we will start implementing our manifesto on Tuesday,” he is quoted as saying in an interview on Citi FM. “We are working on behalf of the people of this country, we were elected to work on behalf of the people of this country, so if they stay out, we have the mandate of the people to repeal e-Levy and change the fortunes of the people of this country instantaneously. So they should stay off, we will do business.”

The NPP has signalled that they will only return to the House after the Supreme Court issues a ruling regarding an injunction against the Speaker.

The NDC has consistently opposed the e-Levy since it was proposed in the 2022 budget. The levy, which imposes a 1.75% charge on electronic transactions, including mobile money and bank transfers, has been characterised by NDC leaders as regressive and detrimental to the livelihoods of Ghanaians, particularly affecting low-income individuals and small businesses.

Tensions surrounding the e-Levy culminated in significant unrest in Parliament, notably during a session on 20 December 2021, when NPP and NDC MPs clashed over voting procedures. The NDC accused the government of bypassing standard parliamentary practices in the levy’s passage.

Following the contentious debates, the NDC ramped up its opposition through various public engagements, including demonstrations and press conferences. Prominent NDC figures, including the party’s presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama, have labelled the e-Levy exploitative and have pledged to repeal it if the NDC regains power in the 2024 elections.

Despite their opposition, the e-Levy was passed by the NPP-dominated Parliament on 29 March 2022, during a session marked by the absence of NDC MPs. The NDC has since continued its activism against the tax, holding protests like the Yentua (meaning We Won't Pay in Akan) on 1 May 2022.

In June 2022, three NDC MPs filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of the e-Levy’s passage, but the Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favour of the government, confirming that the correct procedures were followed.

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