Tithes, Zakat will be affected by E-Levy – Sam George insists

Ningo-Prampram MP, Sam Nartey George, has insisted that tithes and offertories which by law are not supposed to be taxed will be affected by the Electronic Transfer E-Levy (E-Levy).

According to the MP (Member of Parliament), the directive given by the government for faith-based organisations to register as Mobile Money Merchant (Momo) merchants in order to avoid paying the levy will not work because merchants also have taxes they pay.

“An issue that has not been clarified is the tithe and offertories and the Zakat in the mosque. We know that we can now pay these online. Now, the exemptions that have been given has not been given to churches

“A Merchant SIM must be held by a tax compliant person. Now the law says that tithes, offertories and Zakat are tax exempt. So how does a church hold a Merchant SIM and pay taxes for tithes, offertories and Zakat which are tithe exempt?” myjoyonline.com reports.

Sam George has been insisting that the government has not put in place all the necessary measures to ensure that the implementation of the E-Levy is effective.

He has stated that the implementation of the level will be chaotic should it start by the May 1, 2022 deadline set by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The GRA has, however, insisted that it is ready to commence the implementation of the E-Levy on May 1, 2022.

Its Commissioner-General, Rev Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, has said that all the technologies needed to ensure the successful implementation of the E-Levy have been acquired.