The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has outlined the transactions that will not be affected by the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) when implemented next month.
According to the Authority, although the tax policy is to broaden the tax net, not all electronic transactions will come with a 1.5% tax rate.
The Head of Compliance, Domestic Tax Revenue Unit at the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Victor Yao Akogo on JoyNews’ The Probe listed them as follows;
- A cumulative transfer of ¢100 made by the same person.
- A transfer between accounts owned by the same person.
- Transfers for the payment of taxes, fees and charges on the Ghana.gov platform
- Electronic clearing of cheques
- Specified merchant payments (that is, payments to commercial establishments registered with the GRA for income tax and VAT purposes)
- Transfers between principal, master agent, and agent’s accounts.
For the transfers that will be affected; a Principal Revenue Officer and Head of the Project Management Unit said the Authority, Isaac Kobina Amoako said;
- Mobile money transfers done between accounts on the same Electronic Money Issuer.
- Mobile money transfer to a receiver on another Electronic Money Issuer [Interoperability transfer]
- Transfer from a bank account to [another person’s] mobile money account.
- From a mobile money account to [another person’s] bank account.
- Bank transfers on an instant paid digital platform.
Since E-levy was proposed by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta when he was presenting the 2022 budget in November 2021, it has generated a lot of controversies in Parliament and amongst the populace.