Government taxes MOMO transactions above GH¢100

Opambour questions government on e-levy tax

Preacher expresses disappointment in the government 

Leader of the Ebenezer Miracle Worship Centre, Prophet Ebenezer Adarkwa Yiadom has raged over the E-levy tax imposed by the government.

The imposed levy of 1.75 per cent on mobile money and other electronic transactions that exceed GH¢100 per day, to him, is wrong considering that hardship has already engulfed the people.

Opambour, as he is affectionately called, ended his live church to further question when the government was going to make things easier for Ghanaians. While expressing discontentment, he questioned the government’s effort in solving the growing unemployment rate in the country.

According to him, the economic quagmire has just been worsened with the introduction of the tax.

“What will parents do after educating their children but in the end, find them sitting at home? There are no jobs yet you introduce taxes. Are we progressing or retrogressing as a country?” he asked.

During the presentation of the 2022 budget in parliament, Ken Ofori-Atta, the minister of finance, said the government has proposed to impose a 1.75 per cent levy on mobile money and other electronic transactions that exceed GH¢100 per day.

He said: “It is becoming clear there exists an enormous potential to increase tax revenues by bringing into the tax bracket, transactions that could be best defined as being undertaken in the informal economy.

“As such government is charging an applicable rate of 1.75% on all electronic transactions covering mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments, and inward remittances, which shall be borne by the sender except inward remittances, which will be borne by the recipient.

“To safeguard efforts being made to enhance financial inclusion and protect the vulnerable, all transactions that add up to GH¢100 or less per day, which is approximately ¢3000 per month, will be exempt from this levy,” Ofori-Atta added.