NGO Young Africans for Opportunities (YAFO) has made an appeal to the government to exempt the electronic payment and transfer of school fees at tertiary institutions from the e-levy.

The NGO made this appeal in a statement released in Accra.

The statement explained that the e-levy bill has created certain exemptions, however, the transfer and payment of school fees at public and private tertiary institutions is not part of the exemptions.

“The increased use of mobile money means that e-levy would affect every individual who engages in electronic transfer, including students and parents who would be paying fees and other costs via banks and mobile money transfer platforms,” the statement said.

The statement noted that there is the need to consciously exclude students, who may rely on such transfers for fee payment, from the levy. 

“Since the government has already exempted transfers for the payment of taxes, fees, and charges on Ghana government activities, it would be prudent to expand the exemption to cushion students and parents especially during payment of school fees and other bursaries to public universities,” the statement noted. 

YAFO said excluding transfers for the payment of school fees at the tertiary level would be helpful to cushion students and parents from the double agony of school fees payment and e-levy charges.

Parliament is, however, yet to approve the introduction of the e-levy as the Majority and Minority are divided over its passage.