Ghanaians React As GRA Refunds Wrongful E-levy Deductions

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has begun refunding wrongful deductions a few days into the implementation of the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy).

A cross section of the public lamented what they described as excess charges after carrying out mobile money transactions below the GHC100 threshold.

Some Ghanaians have expressed excitement at the development.

Below is a notice to a customer whose unintended deduction was refunded.

Come out with clear timelines for implementation of E-Levy

Meanwhile, a tax lawyer, Theophilus Tawiah has suggested to the government to come out with clear timelines for the implementation of the Electronic Transaction Levy ( E- Levy) if any.

Tawiah believes this could help reduce likelihood of people not patronising mobile money and other payment platforms due to the implementation of the E-Levy.

Speaking with Kwaku Nhyira-Addo on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (5 May ), he said, “So it is something that, for me, I expect the government to communicate clearly through the citizens. At the moment it is unclear whether this tax system is going to be a permanent feature of our tax system.”

“It will be good to have clear timelines for which this tax will be imposed. If you look at the banking sector for example, we have stabilisation levy which is bound by time. If we have something like that it is going to reduce the effect of people not wanting to use mobile money and other payment platforms.”

“So that must be clearly communicated. We must have a definite period where all of us are shouldering the tax obligation … because if that is not the case it is going to have distortionary effect on the populous and it is going to have a negative effect even though it is going to yield revenue,” he added.

He also called on the government to address the issue of refunds with the implementation of the E-Levy.

Source: asaaseradio