Ghanaian rapper Elorm Adablah popularly known as EL has said he supports the government’s controversial e-levy meant to mobilize revenue internally for national development.
The e-levy, which has been passed into law despite heavy opposition from the Minority in Parliament and a cross-section of Ghanaians, imposes a 1.5% levy on some electronic transactions: mobile money transfers done between accounts on the same Electronic Money Issuers (EMI), Mobile money transfers from accounts on one EMI to a recipient on another EMI, transfers from bank accounts to mobile money accounts (either directly, GIP debit, bank cards or another scheme), transfers from mobile money accounts to bank accounts (either directly, GIP debit, bank cards or another scheme) and bank transfers originating from a bank account belonging to an individual.
There have been reports of panic withdrawals from mobile money wallets after the bill was passed into law.
EL says if the government wants Ghanaians to pay the e-levy, then it must account to the people how the money is used.
He is of the opinion that if the government can account for the revenues mobilized from the e-levy and the infrastructure financed by the levy is visible for all to see, then he will fully support it.
Speaking to Prince Benjamin on the Class Drive on Class91.3FM Wednesday, 6 April 2022, on his position on the e-levy, the one-time Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMAs) Artiste of the Year, said: “If it is well administered it could be good for us but the problem I have is accountability, that is, how we are going to be able to monitor where these funds go.”
“We’ve always had a problem with trusting our leaders and that’s the main thing, trust, so as soon as we are able to find a way where we can clearly see what that revenue is being used for and it happens to reflect in the things around us, then we can say let’s all get on board with it. I’m for it as long as accountability is taken care of,” he added.
EL has a number of hit singles to his credit including “Obuu Mo”, “Kaalu”, “One Ghana”, “Auntie Martha”, “Shelele”, “Mi Naa Bo Po”, “Koko” and “KaaBuAme”, “See me Sometime”, “Abaa” and “Pay Like a Boss”.
His debut album was Something Else (2012). E.L released a mixtape he calls The BAR (Best African Rapper) and in 2017 released the fourth one called BAR IV.
He is currently promoting his new single titled “Ayele”.
