Business

Ghanaians To Pay Tax On Whatsapp, Facebook Calls – Ursula Owusu

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful

Minister for Communication and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful says Ghanaians are likely to pay Tax for using social media platforms.

According to her, there are plans underway for Government to generate revenue from the use of Whatsapp, Facebook apps to make calls.

The Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West Constituency disclosed this while addressing the Mobile Technology for Development.

She hinted;

“Currently, the government is losing huge revenues from the MNOs to OTT digital service providers as traditional sources of telecoms revenue like voice declines. It is important that we have a frank, open dialogue on this, and explore other sources of revenue within the digital services space to improve government domestic revenue mobilization.

She again intimidated that her Ministry would be conducting SIM re-registration this year, a long-overdue process to curb digital fraud.

She said;

The Cybersecurity Act 2020, Act 1038, has just been enacted; and it establishes an authority to protect our critical information infrastructure, regulate cybersecurity activities, provide for interception of communication, and develop the cybersecurity of our country. We are in the process of operationalizing the act. We will also be conducting SIM re-registration this year, a long-overdue process.”

An over-the-top (OTT) digital service is a media service offered directly to telecommunication customers via the Internet. OTT bypasses cable, broad.