Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has opposed proposed wallet to bank transfer charges, urging the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to halt the 0.75 percent levy until Parliament grants explicit approval.
He also called on the Attorney General to issue a formal opinion on the constitutionality of the charge, arguing that the government cannot impose levy equivalent fees through financial technology operators without parliamentary approval under Article 174 of the Constitution.
Speaking at a press conference in Parliament on Friday, Afenyo-Markin accused the government of trying to reintroduce the electronic transfer levy through the backdoor, and said any opinion from the Attorney General should come before Parliament as a ministerial statement for debate.
Although the BoG has suspended the proposed charge pending stakeholder consultations, the Minority says the step is insufficient and is demanding accountability from the Finance Minister.
Afenyo-Markin said the Finance Minister must appear before Parliament to explain the announcement by Mobile Money Limited (MMFL) and confirm whether the Executive knew of or encouraged the proposed charges. He further demanded that the government apologise to Ghanaians for breaking an electoral promise.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) caucus, he warned, would use every constitutional and democratic avenue to resist the measure. “There is nothing like consultation, we do not accept it,” he stressed.
