Mobile money agents petition Minority over E-Levy

The Mobile Money Agents Association of Ghana (MMAAG) said the proposed 1.75 per cent Electronic Transaction Levy (E-levy), if passed in its current form, would erode the gains made in the digital financial services ecosystem.

The Association said government’s flagship drive to digitalised the economy would only be a mirage since consumers would be compelled to use more cash at the expense of electronic payments due to the E-Levy.

Mr Evans Otumfuo, the General Secretary of the MMAAG, said this when the group petitioned the Minority Caucus in Parliament over the E-Levy Bill.

He indicated that studies conducted by the Association following the levy’s introduction in the 2022 Budget showed that its implementation would undermine the country’s cashless system, result in job losses and affect the government’s digitilisation drive.

He said given the challenges highlighted in the petition, the E-levy Bill in its current form would hurt more Ghanaians.

Dr Casiel Ato Forson, the Ranking Member on Finance, who received the petition from the group on behalf of the Minority, applauded the Association for being bold to present their concerns to Parliament.

He cited the Central Bank’s data that about 441,000 people had been registered as Mobile Money Agents and on average each person employed about two or three people, showing their importance in economic growth.

The Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, commended MMAAG for their courage to declare their stand on the E-levy, which would not only affect the digital economy but the livelihoods of the people.

He assured the Association that the Minority Caucus would convey their concerns during the debate on the Bill.

Source: GNA