MTN pays GHC1.218bn in taxes

MTN Ghana paid a total amount of GH¢1.218 billion in taxes to government last year.

It comprised GH¢1.059 billion to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), GH¢159.4 million to the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC).

This was made known by the acting Corporate Services Executive of MTN Ghana, Pala Ofori Asiedu, when the company shared its financial performance for 2017 and strategic operational plans for 2018 with the media and other stakeholders in Takoradi in the Western Region.

She explained that in order to optimise the experience of the customer on the network, MTN would invest an amount of $144 million in network expansion in 2018.

She pointed out that the telecommunication giant is set to deploy mobile network coverage to 28 rural communities in the Western Region by end of 2018, adding “This initiative is captured under the company’s Rural Coverage Project.”

Ms Asiedu noted, “Mobile Money (MoMo) has contributed significantly to employment creation with jobs for over 90,000 merchant points across the country.

“MoMo has created a very convenient mode of payment for various goods and services, including the purchase of treasury bills especially for people in the informal sector.”

All the innovative payment options have made financial services accessible to more people, thereby increasing the level of financial inclusion in Ghana.

She revealed that during the year under review, MTN Ghana increased smartphone growth on the network and contributed significantly to growth in data revenues.

According to her, these achievements were registered through the BRIGHT Strategy with clearly defined Key Public Infrastructure (KPIs) to ensure delivery and constant innovation to transforms lives.

She disclosed that MTN Ghana in 2017 launched its fibre broadband to key business and residential places, enabling about 20,000 homes to access fibre broadband in the Greater Accra, Eastern and Ashanti Regions.

The Regional Technical Manager of MTN, Teddy Hayford Acquah, disclosed that the company had prioritized the deployment of mobile network connectivity to rural settlements without network access.

He said plans were far advanced to expand MTN’s network base to several parts of the country.