Government has been reluctant to meet mobile money agents to review the cost of taxes on their operations, 3news.com has gathered.
From July 1, 2021, a 10 percent tax will be put on proceeds of mobile money transactions.
According to the Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana (MMAAG), the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Ministry of Communications have avoided its leadership to have a meeting with them on the decision.
On Monday, June 28, the Association announced increase in Cash-out services effective, Thursday July 1.
“To the general public, please take note of these new changes of mobile money service charges taken effect from 1st July 2021. The same day the 10% tax imposition by the government on our cash out service charge begins. We are pleading with you to comply with our members in their various shops,” the Association said.
In an interview on 3FM‘s Sunrise with host Alfred Ocansey on Monday, General Secretary of the Association Evans Otumfuo said all efforts to engage government to reconsider the decision has proved futile.
“In fact, we have initiated steps to engage the stakeholders – the Ministry of Communication and Digitization headed By Ursula Ekuful. We have also engaged the Ghana Revenue Authority Commissioner General for the past three weeks now. We have served them notices of our concerns at least to give us audience and to lay our concerns before them but none of them has called us. And so we are left with no option than to pass on the charges to the customers.”
He added: “At least, if they had given us audience they would know our concerns and understand the circumstances in which we operate our business and they would know that these are not just businesses we should rather help them so they can boost employment in Ghana.”
Mr. Otumfuo further gave the indication that they may rescind their decision if a meeting with authorities happens.
“Depending on what happened, it will inform our next line of action. We just want to give our stakeholders the benefit of doubt that at least they are not well informed about happenings in our business.”
