E-levy: Wrongful deductions must be reversed – GRA to charging entities

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has tasked all charging entities to make sure they reverse wrongful deductions when the implementation of the E-levy takes off.

The controversial electronic levy will take effect from Sunday, May 1, 2022, and will affect a number of platforms.

Monies above GHc100 being sent between different mobile money or bank accounts will be charged an extra tax of 1.5%.

To this end, the GRA has put in place some administrative guidelines to ensure the successful implementation of the E-levy.

“Following the Ghana Revenue Authority’s assessment of the general readiness of some Charging Entities to integrate with the E-levy Management System, the Commissioner-General has decided on a modified phased approach for the implementation of the e-levy from 1st May,” the GRA said in a statement.

The Authority further urged all charging entities to ensure that wrongful deductions are reversed immediately.

Meanwhile, the annual projection for the soon-to-be-implemented e-levy has been revised downwards to GHS4.5 billion.

According to the GRA, the downward projection is due to the apprehension towards the levy by Ghanaians.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Commissioner-General of GRA, Reverend Dr Ammisshaddai Owusu-Amoah said the reduction to 1.5% is also a contributing factor.

Dr Owusu-Amoah added that GRA’s internal survey had indicated that electronic transactions would slow down in the first days of the levy’s implementation before picking up.

He was, however, optimistic that transactions would stabilise in the medium term as people get used to the levy.

He said the various exemptions provided by the government were boosters to the usage of electronic transactions and thus urged the public to look at the convenience provided by digital transactions.

He also called on the public to take the levy as one of their little contributions to nation-building.