Telcos refute Ursula’s allegation that they under-declared taxes up to GH¢1.5bn

Mobile telecommunication industry players in Ghana have refuted a statement made on the floor of Parliament on Friday by Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, that they under-declared taxes to the tune of GH¢1.5 billion.

The Communications Minister told Parliament that Ghana has made savings of GH¢1.5 billion in under-declared taxes in the telecommunications sector since the implementation of the Common Platform (CP) managed by KelniGVG.

She told Parliament on Friday, August 7, 2020, that the introduction of the common platform has uncovered that, before the introduction of the policy, GH¢470 million in taxes was lost from potential under-declarations by te existing five telcos between 2015 to the first quarter of 2017.

Her revelations on the floor of Parliament were contained in her answers to various questions by MPs on the three-year deal.

“An estimated amount of GH¢300 million in taxes was also saved between the first quarter of 2017 to date as a result of the announcement of the implementation of the CP on March 8, 2017,” she told Legislators.

However a in a statement, the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications said the claims have not been brought to the attention of its members adding, “on the contrary, the ongoing working relationship between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), National Communications Authority (NCA) and/or their technical partner KelniGVG regarding the Common Platform does not support these allegations.”

The statement signed by Chief Executive Officer of the chamber, Dr Ing Kenneth Ashigbey said the mobile industry is deeply concerned about what it calls the “continuous recurrence” of these claims and the fact that standard audit principles and practice that characterise the Chamber’s members dealings with regulators continue to be breached.

“Any revenue assurance best practice will expect that such findings, if indeed were the case, will be shared with our members for their response and reconciliation before onward engagement with external parties and the media,” the statement said.

Read the full statement from the chamber below;