Former Odododiodio MP, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has expressed strong views regarding former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s stance on the controversial Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy).
According to Vanderpuye, if Dr. Bawumia truly believed that the E-Levy should never have been implemented, he should have resigned in protest when it was introduced by his government.
Speaking in an interview, the former legislator argued that the introduction of the E-Levy was a clear act of disregard for the concerns of Ghanaians, and if Dr. Bawumia had principled objections, stepping down from his position would have been the most appropriate course of action.
“Dr. Bawumia, as Vice President, had every opportunity to take a firm stand if he was truly against the E-Levy,” Vanderpuye stated. “But instead of resigning, he remained in office while the policy was rolled out. If I were him, I would have resigned.”
The E-Levy, which was introduced as a means to generate revenue through electronic financial transactions, faced massive public opposition, with critics arguing that it placed an unnecessary financial burden on Ghanaians.
Hon. Vanderpuye added that prior to its introduction, Dr. Bawumia had been vocal about his disapproval of taxation as a primary revenue generation tool, making his government’s decision to implement the E-Levy a subject of controversy.
Former Odododiodio MP, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, believes that resigning in such circumstances would have sent a stronger message and demonstrated true leadership and highlighted a broader discussion on political accountability and the extent to which public officials should stand by their stated principles.
Story by Freedom Lavoe
