Ningo-Prampram MP Sam George has clashed with Deputy Finance Minister John Kumah over disagreements with the implementation of the E-LEVY.
The renewed online brawl comes on the back of the debate on whether E-LEVY affects the playing of tithes or not.
Sam Goerge had claimed that the E-LEVY was regressive if the paying of tithes was not expected from it. John Kumah has thought otherwise.
In a Twitter back and forth, Sam George criticized John Kumah by rubbishing the thought and preparation that went into the E-LEVY considering the fact that tithing would be affected.
He had written:
Dear @johnkumah_Esq, I have told you square pegs have no place in round holes. When we are talking IT deployment, kindly do us a favour and keep quiet. You make more sense that way. Cheers.
In a sharp rebuttal, John Kumah asked Sam George to indulge him in the intellectually-exclusive discussion thus he would not condone his excesses if he has failed to use his brain.
He had written:
@samgeorgegh you have brains use them. Whether E-levy affects tithe, or not is not an issue 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.
Also, John Kumah also encouraged Ghanaians to treat everything Sam Goerge said about the E-LEVY as propaganda and falsehood. According to him, the E-LEVY was not implemented to tax tithe etc…
They are taxed for using a platform, you can’t ignorantly say one is taxing tithe, offering and Zakat. Again, most Faith-Based Organizations make use of merchant momo numbers, which are exempted from the E-levy, which you know 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?
As a result, Sam Goerge did not allow the comment made by John Kumah to slide as he came back strongly to stress why he believed the E-LEVY would hamper economic growth if tithe was taxed.
He also clarified that he has brains and uses them unlike his opponent, John Kumah.
@johnkumah_Esq, I do have brains. I also do use it. You claimed in a very bellicose manner that tithes wouldn’t be affected by e-Levy & that I lied. Now the Chamber says you lied! Which IT community? The rented one which got exposed yesterday? Now please do you have a brain?
Consequently, John Kumah also came back to describe Sam George as an ‘unrepented liar.” According to him, Sam George has deliberately failed to admit that E-LEVY deductions do not affect the paying of tithe.
.@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 remain unrepented in your desire to always tell lies
Sam George rebutted John Kumah’s claim by writing:
See why I say you are a square peg in a round hole? 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!
Meanwhile, many Ghanaian have been ranting on social media following the implementation of the E-LEVY since May 1, 2022.
