The Mobile money agents’ association of Ghana say they will be embarking on a nationwide strike on Thursday, December 23, 2021, over the controversial E-Levy.
In a statement on Monday, the union described the proposed 1.75 E-levy as detrimental to business.
As part of their actions to express displeasure with the government’s proposed levy, the union through its General secretary Evans Otumfuo said, “we see this levy as very regressive and critical to the survival of our businesses. Consequently, as part of our demonstration on Thursday, December 23 2021, our services as mobile money agents will not be accessible across the country.”
Further, the statement said all mobile money agent stores shall remain closed on Thursday in a bid to send a message to the government.
The highly contested E-levy was proposed in the 2022 budget by Finance Minister Ken Offori Atta. The proposed levy seeks to charge 1.75 per cent on all digital money transactions above 100 cedis. Despite the government’s bid to plead a case for raising necessary resources, many stakeholders have been against the levy terming it as a chokehold on a budding industry.
While there have been talks from the Minority to reduce the levy to 1 per cent and raise the transaction threshold to 300 cedis, the government is yet to issue any directive in that regard. Now, the mobile money agents’ Association of Ghana says if all efforts remain futile, an indefinite action will be taken thereafter.
