The leadership of GUTA, the Ghana Union of Traders' Associations, has disassociated itself from recent remarks made by Dr. Joseph Obeng, the organization's president, that support keeping the E-Levy in place.


The association explains that the remarks are not the group's official stance, but rather the president's personal views.

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and the new Women's Development Bank could benefit from the E-levy's retention, according to Dr. Obeng.

If kept in place, he contended, the E-levy might provide a steady flow of funding for projects aimed at promoting development, such as providing financial empowerment to women in trade and small businesses.

However, "we wish to emphatically state herein that his opinion does not represent the stand of GUTA on the matter, though we respect his personal views," the GUTA said in a news release.

While acknowledging the need for creative financial alternatives to support business expansion and empower women in trade, GUTA reaffirmed that the government should make the final decisions about revenue generation strategies.

Dr. Obeng's viewpoint stands in stark contrast to the opposition National Democratic Congress' (NDC) pledge during the campaign to do away with the E-Levy, which they claimed was a financial hardship for Ghanaians.

Businesses have widely criticized the E-Levy, a one percent fee on electronic payments that was implemented by the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.