The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has defended the Electronic Levy (E-Levy) policy, stating that it is working for the economy.

Nana Fredua Agyeman Ofori-Atta, Board Chairman of the National Theatre, made this assertion in an interview with Serwaa Amihere on GHOne TV. “The e-levy has rallied more than 1.9 billion in the last year. It’s working, and it’s not like it’s not working,” he said.

Ofori-Atta emphasized that Ghanaians should focus on the bigger picture, asking, “How do we want to develop? Do we want to develop piecemeal or holistically, with a projection into the future?” He stressed that the E-Levy is a law that has been implemented and is contributing to the economy.

The NPP board chairman acknowledged that Ghanaians complain about various issues but urged for a more nuanced approach. “We complain, including me. All of us always find something wrong somewhere. But we know that, depending on how we see the thing, we should focus on whether the policy is working.”

Ofori-Atta addressed concerns about the E-Levy, saying, “When the e-levy was being proposed, we were given the option of either the e-levy or we go to the IMF. And we are doing both. You don’t expect Ghanaians not to complain?” He emphasized the need to evaluate the policy’s impact and ensure that the collected resources are utilized effectively.

The NPP leader emphasized that the party’s focus is on the future, with a whole host of developments planned under a Bawumia administration. He urged Ghanaians to think critically about development and not focus solely on the pain of paying taxes.

Ofori-Atta concluded, “It’s about where the resources go when it is collected, and whether it is of value to us. So, for now, it is the law. It is working. If we want to deal with it, we should find out whether the money they’ve been collecting from us has been going into the spaces it’s supposed to go into.”