[male
vocals] (
Deep
warm
bass,
classic
one-drop
drums,
skanking
guitar,
Hammond
organ,
Nyabinghi
percussion
and
sparse
brass)
Jah
Rastafari...
Brothers
and
sisters
in
the
ghettos...
Comrades
at
the
bases...
Come,
let
us
remember.
LEAD:
Bring
the
promise!
CROWD:
BRING
THE
RECORD!
LEAD:
Bring
the
figures!
CROWD:
LET
THE
PEOPLE
JUDGE!
LEAD:
Promises!
Promises!
CROWD:
GHANA
REMEMBERS!
[VERSE 1 — BEFORE E-LEVY] Before
E-Levy
came,
Bawumia
had
spoken.
He
said
he
did
not
think
Mobile
Money
should
be
taxed.
Many
poor
people
use
it.
Additional
taxes
could
make
them
suffer.
CROWD:
GHANA
REMEMBERS!
LEAD:
Then
came 2022—
CROWD:
E-LEVY!
LEAD:
So
the
people
asked—
CROWD:
WHAT
CHANGED?
[MAIN CHORUS] LEAD:
Money
for
Mama—
CROWD:
E-LEVY!
LEAD:
Money
for
Papa—
CROWD:
E-LEVY!
LEAD:
Money
for
school—
CROWD:
E-LEVY!
LEAD:
Government
said—
CROWD:
BROADEN
THE
TAX
BASE!
LEAD:
Many
people
said—
CROWD:
YENTUA!
LEAD:
E-Levy!
CROWD:
GHANA
REMEMBERS!
LEAD:
What
changed?
CROWD:
WHAT
CHANGED?
[VERSE 2 — PEOPLE AND LIVELIHOODS] The
surveys
came.
Opposition
was
strong.
About
three
out
of
four
disapproved.
CROWD:
GHANA
REMEMBERS!
LEAD:
Government
said—
We
need
revenue.
Broaden
the
tax
base.
CROWD:
WE
HEAR
YOU!
LEAD:
But
behind
every
MoMo
kiosk
was
somebody's
livelihood.
The
agents
later
reported
layoffs
and
shop
closures.
CROWD:
COUNT
THE
COST!
LEAD:
Count
the
revenue—
CROWD:
COUNT
THE
COST!
LEAD:
Count
the
businesses—
CROWD:
COUNT
THE
COST!
LEAD:
Count
the
jobs—
CROWD:
COUNT
THE
COST!
[VERSE 3 — THE E-LEVY CAKE] Then
came
the
pictures...
A
birthday
celebration.
And
on
the
table—
CROWD:
E-LEVY
CAKE!
LEAD:
Ei
Ghana!
The
country
was
debating
E-Levy...
And
political
leaders
were
photographed
around
an
E-Levy
cake.
CROWD:
GHANA
REMEMBERS!
LEAD:
E-Levy
on
the
phone...
CROWD:
GHANA
REMEMBERS!
LEAD:
E-Levy
in
Parliament...
CROWD:
GHANA
REMEMBERS!
LEAD:
E-Levy
on
the
cake...
CROWD:
GHANA
REMEMBERS!
[VERSE 4 — THE TAX CHANGES] LEAD:
E-Levy
started—
CROWD:
ONE-POINT-FIVE
PERCENT!
LEAD:
Then
it
came
down—
CROWD:
ONE
PERCENT!
LEAD:
So
the
people
asked—
CROWD:
WHAT
CHANGED?
LEAD:
Then
came
another
tax—
CROWD:
BETTING
TAX!
LEAD:
Ten
percent
withholding
on
winnings.
Betting...
Gaming...
Lotto...
CROWD:
GHANA
REMEMBERS!
CROWD:
ONE-POINT-FIVE
PERCENT!
LEAD:
Then
it
came
down—
CROWD:
ONE
PERCENT!
LEAD:
So
the
people
asked—
CROWD:
WHAT
CHANGED?
LEAD:
Then
came
another
tax—
CROWD:
BETTING
TAX!
LEAD:
Ten
percent
withholding
on
winnings.
Betting...
Gaming...
Lotto...
CROWD:
GHANA
REMEMBERS!
[VERSE 5 — 2024] Then
came 2024...
Election
year.
Bawumia
said—
CROWD:
ABOLISH
E-LEVY!
LEAD:
And
betting
tax?
CROWD:
ABOLISH
THAT
TOO!
[PAUSE] LEAD:
Ei!
E-Levy
introduced
under
the
government
in
which
he
served—
CROWD:
THEN
PROMISE
TO
ABOLISH!
LEAD:
Betting
tax
introduced
under
the
government
in
which
he
served—
CROWD:
THEN
PROMISE
TO
ABOLISH!
LEAD:
So
what
changed?
CROWD:
WHAT
CHANGED?
[BRIDGE — CASHLESS ECONOMY] LEAD:
Bawumia
explained—
I
want
a
cashless
economy.
Digital
payments
must
be
encouraged.
CROWD:
WE
HEAR
YOU!
LEAD:
Then
the
people
asked—
If
taxing
digital
payments
discourages
a
cashless
economy...
Why
introduce
E-Levy
in
the
first
place?
CROWD:
WHAT
CHANGED?
LEAD:
He
said—
I
was
Vice-President.
The
President
had
the
authority.
CROWD:
WE
HEAR
YOU!
LEAD:
Don't
take
our
word
for
it—
CROWD:
CHECK
THE
RECORD!
[FINAL CHORUS] LEAD:
If
yesterday
you
introduced
it—
CROWD:
AND
TODAY
YOU
WANT
TO
REMOVE
IT!
LEAD:
E-Levy!
CROWD:
WHAT
CHANGED?
LEAD:
Betting
tax!
CROWD:
WHAT
CHANGED?
LEAD:
Promises!
Promises!
CROWD:
GHANA
REMEMBERS!
LEAD:
Bring
the
promise!
CROWD:
BRING
THE
RECORD!
LEAD:
Bring
the
figures!
CROWD:
LET
THE
PEOPLE
JUDGE!
[OUTRO] Governments
come...
Governments
go...
Taxes
come...
Taxes
go...
But
the
people
live
with
the
consequences.
Jah
Rastafari...
Don't
believe
it
because
you
heard
it
in
a
song.
Check
the
record.
Ask
the
questions.
Make
your
own
judgment.
[FADE] What
changed...?
Ghana
remembers...
CROWD:
GHANA
REMEMBERS!
[FADE] What
changed...?
Ghana
remembers...