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| Ken Ofori Atta, Finance Minister. |
Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance, is set to announce the
start date for the Electronic Transfer Levy Bill (E-Levy), which President Nana
Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo signed on Thursday.
After the Minority staged a walkout as part of its stated protest
against the bill, Parliament passed it last Tuesday.
The measure included a 1.75 percent tax on all electronic
transactions and money transfers at first, but the amount was dropped to 1.5
percent before it was passed.
Any transfer to or from a person's mobile money account or bank
account would be subject to the levy, according to the law.
These include:
1. Transfers done on the same mobile money network. For example,
sending money from your MTN Momo wallet to another person's MTN Momo wallet.
2. Transfers from one mobile money network to a recipient on
another network. For example, sending money from your MTN Momo wallet to
another person's TIGO Cash wallet.
3. Transfers from bank accounts to mobile money accounts: For
example, Kofi transfers money from his CBG bank account to Ama's MTN mobile
money wallet.
4. Transfers from mobile money accounts to bank accounts: For
example, Esi transfers money from her Vodafone Cash money wallet to Yaw's GCB
bank account.
5. Bank transfers on a digital platform or application which
originate from a bank account belonging to an individual: For example, Kwame
transferring money from his NIB Bank account to Akua's Prudential Bank
account.
What
transactions are not covered by the E-Levy;
The following transfers are excluded from the levy:
1. Cumulative transfers of GHS 100 per day made by the same
person: Everyone has a daily tax-free threshold (Limit) GHS 100- that is every
person will be able to send up to GHS100 a day without the payment of the levy;
2. Transfer between accounts owned by the same person: if you are
sending money to your own account (i.e., of the same person) then you will not
be charged the E Levy. A transfer from Kojo's Tigo wallet to his MTN wallet or from
his CBG bank account to his GCB bank account or from his savings account to his
current or investment account, will not attract the levy.
3. Transfers for the payment of taxes, fees, and charges: Any
payment of taxes fees or charges made to an MDA or MMDA using the Ghana.gov
platform or other designated method, do not attract the levy.
4. Electronic Clearing of cheques: Clearing of cheques by the banks and specialised deposit-taking institutions such as savings and loans companies etc. are excluded.
5. Specified merchant payments: Payments made to commercial
establishments through a payment service (mobile money, bank application,
Fintech etc.) to a person registered with the Ghana Revenue Authority for the
purposes of income tax or value-added tax is excluded. This applies to both
online and physical sales.
6. Transfers between principal, agent, and master-agent accounts:
To avoid charging the levy multiple times transfers that pass through multiple
service providers before they get to the actual recipient do not attract the
levy.
Are utility
and airtime payments subject to the E-levy?
Yes. Once the payment is made from a mobile money account, bank account,
or through a merchant payment platform; and exceeds the GHS 100 daily threshold
the levy is payable.
Will the levy
be charged on payments of wages and salaries using mobile money?
If the company is registered with GRA for income tax or VAT and
salary payment is made from a corporate bank account, there will be no e-levy
charge on the amount.
Will there be
a threshold above which E-levy charges will not apply?
No, there is no threshold; the E-levy applies to all transfer
amounts.
Source: HR Forum News
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