The Deputy Finance Minister, Dr. John Ampontuah Kumah has told Sam ‘Dzata’ George to ‘use his brains’.
This was in response to a comment Hon. Sam George directed to the Member of Parliament for Ejisu in a Twitter post concerning the taxing of tithes by the introduction of the E-levy.
“Dear @johnkumah_Esq, I have told you square pegs have no place in round holes. When we are talking about IT deployment, kindly do us a favour and keep quiet. You make more sense that way. Cheers. (Lion head emoji)” Hon. Sam George tweeted first.
To this directed comment, Hon. John Kumah responded: @samgeorgegh you have brains use them. Whether E-levy affects tithe, or not is not an of IT deployment, it is common sense. I thought the IT community has cautioned you to tread cautiously when it comes to its operations and not to feign ignorance as you always do”.
The Member of Parliament for Ejusu went on to rebut the false claims made by Sam George;
“Your argument is that E-levy is a tax on tithe, offering and Zakat, this is falsehood, because we are not taxing people for paying tithe, offering and Zakat. We are taxing people for using and online platform and if in the course of paying their tithe, they are taxed for using the a platform, you can’t ignorantly say one is taxing tithe, offering and Zakat. Again, most Faith Based Organisations make use of merchant momo numbers, which are exempted from the E-levy, which you so why this hypocrisy from you. When telcos charge people for using their medium to pay for offering, why don’t you say their actions are also affecting tithe, such unpatriotic comments. If you drive to Parliament and you buy fuel which is taxed does that mean we are taxing your work as a parliamentarian?”
The incident was caused by a news story published Joy News in regards a comment by the Telecommunications Chamber CEO, Kenneth Ashigbe, who mentioned on Joy FM that the deductions affected some transactions including the payment of church tithes. “So far as the law is concerned, you’re paying from a personal account to a Corporate, i.e if the church is registered as a corporate. The law doesn’t exempt Corporate Mobile Money, so it will still attract it,” Mr Ashigbey said on Joy FM‘s Super Morning Show.
“You are the person paying your tithe so the burden of the payment on the transfer is on you who is paying. The person paying apart from paying the tithe will have to pay government some taxes so far as the law is concerned.”
Ningo-Prampram Member of Parliament, Sam George, who had been of firm opposition to the initiative, felt he had been vindicated by this comment.
In a rejoinder, the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram wrote: “@johnkumah_Esq, I do have brains. I also use it. You claimed in very bellicose manner that tithes wouldn’t be affected by e-Levy & that I lied. Now the Chamber say you lied! Which IT community? The rented one which got exposed yesterday? Now please do you have a brain?”
“@samgeorgegh you are a member of Perez Chapel, should you decide to pay your tithe you will use their momo number (ID 443765) which is a merchant number. So E-levy won’t apply. Yet again you have refused to use your brains and remains unrepented in your desire to always lie”, Hon. John Kumah explains his stance further.
Hon. Sam George maintains his stance that the Finance Minister is still not up to the task yet by replying that: “Does having a Merchant number exempt one from the e-Levy? No! And you are supposed to be the Deputy Minister of Finance? The Merchant must be tax compliant before an exemption applies. PCI is supposed to be tax exempt. Learn!” he replied in another tweet.
