Mrs Owusu-Ekuful, the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, at the Government’s Town Hall meeting on the e-levy in the Eastern Region on Thursday, assured that the Government would put in measures to protect their businesses.
The Ablekuma West Legislator said: “I can say confidently to the MoMo operators that we’re working to grow your business and not destroy it.”
Concerning issues raised about the 1.75 percent levy being high, she said, compared to other taxes, the e-levy was being introduced at a lower rate of 1.75 per cent.
She said: “In other countries, digital taxes are being introduced to the tune of 10 per cent and we travel there to seek loans for our development and to borrow.”
On the issue of the levy leading to reduction in electronic transactions, the Minister said, “when a similar levy was passed in Uganda, transaction values reduced slightly upon the introduction of this levy, but they picked up almost immediately.”
She added that she was confident that Ghana would even do better with the e-levy and urged the Minority to support its passage and implementation.
Mrs Owusu-Ekuful indicated that the country’s tax-to-GDP ratio—12.2 percent, was among the lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa, and required an increase in domestic revenue mobilization to undertake the needed development.
