The Communications Minister has directed Mobile Network Operators (MNO) to ensure that unused data and voice bundles purchased by their subscribers do not expire.
Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said the unused data must be rolled over to the next data purchased by subscribers.
The letter addressed to the Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), Mr Joe Anokye on Friday explained that the move is to minimise the negative impact of the current mode of deduction of the Communication Service Tax by the Telecommunication Companies.
Mobile money operators to submit data to credit bureaus — BoG
“CST should be treated the same way VAT, NHIL, GETFund levy and all other taxes and levies imposed on entities doing business in Ghana are treated…”
“All unused data and voice bundles purchased by subscribers do not expire and must be rolled over with the next recharge,” the Minister urged.
The letter copied to the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of MTN and Vodafone as well as the two Deputy Ministers of Communication, Mr George Nenyi Andah and Mr Vincent Sowah-Odotei comes on the back of Communication Service Tax which was increased from 6% to 9% effective October 1, 2019.
Per this tax, every ¢1 of recharge data purchased, a 9% CST fee is deducted, leaving the consumer with ¢0.93 of the purchased data.
Cost of mobile data in Ghana among cheapest in West Africa Report
This is wrong, the Ministry of Communication held in its release.
According to the ministry, the “extraordinary upfront deduction of CST and notification of same to subscribers must stop with immediate effect.”
The full release from the ministry has been published below
