GH¢1.5 billion saved through KelniGvG rollout - Ursula Owusu

Communication and Digitization Minister-designate, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has revealed government has been able to save an estimated GH¢1.5 billion in revenue losses through the Common Platform (CP) managed by KelniGvG.

According to her, the amount is in addition to some GH¢470 million in revenue taxes saved between the first quarter of 2017 when the platform was announced.

Providing updates during her ministerial vetting on Monday, February 15, 2021, the nominee justified that the amount would not have been realised if not for the implementation of the Common Platform.

“An estimated GH¢470 million in taxes was saved between Q1 2017 till date as a result of the announcement of the implementation of the platform and a potential GH¢1.5 billion loss through to the end of the contract if the platform had not been implemented,” she told the Appointments Committee of Parliament.

“My information is that as a follow up to the information that the platform has provided [information in terms of revenue saved by the platform], the GRA has engaged another independent auditor called SafariTech who has confirmed the findings from the platform,” the minister-designate added.

The Communications and Digitization minster designate also told the Appointment Committee the National Communications Authority and the Ghana Revenue Authority are currently not suited to take full control of the management of the platform.

To address this, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful explained that the two statutory bodies are currently undertaking knowledge and technology transfer in order to take full control of the management of the platform currently being overseen by KelniGvG.

“I cannot indicate which period they will be comfortable to take over, the NCA and GRA will have to inform me that they are sufficiently capable of managing the platform and when they do, the platform will be seamlessly handed over to them,” she indicated.

The US$89 million KelniGvG deal was targeted to monitor revenue mobilization from mobile telecommunication companies operating in the country.