A group calling itself Forum for Development and Accountable Governance (FDAG) has engaged market women in Koforidua on the controversial e-levy to court more support to kick against the introduction of the policy .
Some Market women at Agartha Market in Koforidua did not mince words in their outburst over economic hardship in the country stating that the introduction of e-levy will exacerbate it and negatively affect their businesses.
Some of the markets women lamented the rapid increase in the prices of foodstuffs and transportation.
“There is hardship in the country .Prices of food have gone up .We don’t blame the farmers because fertilizer price is up, transportation is high almost everything have gone up.so we the traders are also suffering so the e-levy will worsen our situation”.Ama ,a market woman said.
On the part of Sophai Bempong , she said “initially when I saw them fighting in parliament I didn’t understand what the issue was, but after, I have realized that it not true that the NDC parliamentarians were to be blamed people but it is because the NPP people want to impose the e- levy burden on us that was why the NDC people resisted it, even though I am a member of the NPP but I think the e- levy policy will not help us so we are pleading with them that they shouldn’t implement the e- levy”.
The convener of FDAG Kwadwo Dankwa said the intention to Campaign against the e- levy comes after a comprehensive survey by the group indicated that about 80% of Ghanaians do not want the e-levy to be implemented.
He explained that “we began our work sometimes in November when government took it budget to parliament and so from November we’ve engaged not less than ten market places, we have engaged lorry stations as well as other institutions to explain to them what the e-levy means ,what government intends to do with the e- levy , how it will have an impact on their trade and so we have had a lot of discussions with them”.
However he said, after the discussion with these market women and other stakeholders, the feedback indicates that many Ghanaians are against the imposition of the e-levy .
” after a fruitful discussion with the market women, a lot of them have come out to express themselves as to whether they are not willing to allow the government to implement the e- levy, and we will realize that the market women are not willing to pay the e- levy if the government intends to implement the e-levy.The majority of the people they interacted with kicked against the implementation of the e- levy irrespective of their political divides they belong to saying they spoke vehemently against the e-levy to the extend that some of them applauded the minority group in parliament for kicking against the implementation of the e- levy”.
He stated that some of the response and for that matter the general impression suggests that there has been leadership failure on the part of the member of parliament for New Juaben South Michael Okyere Baafi hence the deteriorating condition of the market .
He said “they raised issues about lack of toilet in the market and the poor condition of the Agartha market pushing the blame on the member of parliament Hon. Michael Okyere Baafi for not honouring his promise”.
Source : Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Kojo Ansah