We Support Your E-levy Agenda – MoMo Agents to Akufo-Addo

The mobile money agents association of Ghana (MMAAG) has said its members are not against the government’s tax revenue agenda including the newly introduced Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy).

According to the association, after broad consultations the members now back the tax policy and they are committed to working with all relevant stakeholders to make the levy a successful national policy.

The general secretary of the association, Evans Otumfuo, said during a courtesy call on President Akufo-Addo on Tuesday (10 May) that “despite our earlier resistance to E-Levy, we also understand that the government will have to take drastic measures in drastic times.”

“The E-Levy has now been passed into law and all citizens must obey, so we are here as allies and not opposing forces.

“We also commend the government for taking bold steps to reduce the electronic transactions levy from the initial 1.75% to 1.5% and the tall list of exemptions provided by the E-Levy,” Otumfuo said.

Urgent concerns

Otumfuo called on President Akufo-Addo to press on all stakeholders involved in the implementation of the E-Levy such as the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation to take immediate steps to address their concerns and challenges.

“We appeal to you and the minister of finance to expedite actions to look at the challenges that the levy has brought to the agents in the line of doing their business such as deductions made on the agent’s accounts anytime funds are transferred to their bank accounts for purposes of accessing cash to serve customers,” Otumfuo said.

“Let it be on the record, your excellency, that our organisation believes in the payment of taxes as a major tool to drive the needed development and progress and would not do anything that frustrates the success of the levy,” he said.

Fraud and identity theft issues

Fraud and identity theft, according to the leader of the delegation, is the most pressing challenge that members of MMAAG are having to deal with on daily basis.

To this end, the MMAAG general secretary called on the President to urge the security agencies, particularly, the Inspector General of Police, George Akuffo Dampare, to engage their association in order find a solution to the problem.

Offer of partnership

President Akufo-Addo in his response welcomed the decision of MMAAG to support the implementation of the electronic levy tax (E-levy), noting that the policy has been introduced by his administration for the good of the country.

Akufo-Addo noted that he welcomes the offer of partnership with government as suggested by MMAAG to make sure that the E-Levy is successfully administered.

“I think it is appropriate that direct stakeholders like you voice out your concerns as you did and that these concerns are taken into account by the government so that when the law was finally shaped like it has been, it is one that is meaningful for the state and it’s equally meaningful for the private sector operatives who are in the area,” Akufo-Addo said.

President Akufo-Addo assured the MMAAG delegation that their security concerns as raised will be given immediate attention.

Source: asaaseradio