Telecoms Chamber Urges Businesses To Use CST Reduction To Enhance Efficiency

Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Kenneth Ashigbey, has stated that businesses can take advantage of the implementation of the reduced Communication Service Tax, CST, to cut down cost and be more efficient.

Government in the Mid-year budget review announced a reduction in the tax from 9% to 5% as part of measures to cushion consumers from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tax reduction which is expected to take effect on the 15th of September, will see consumers enjoying a reduction in the cost of calls and data.

Speaking to Citi Business News, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Kenneth Ashigbey, said, “Now all of us are moving digital and all of that , the cost of doing business as far as connectivity is concerned will come down and the fact that government has reduced the tax burden on all  of us as consumers is something that is good and we are only hoping that the people will use it to be able to turn their businesses around and then it will help in the recovery process for all of us”,he said.

“You know how hard COVID has hit all businesses, now that that cost component in terms of the connectivity will be lower  we hope that businesses will use it to turn round their wheels of productivity so that we can be able to recover from the effects of the pandemic,” he added.

Background

The Communication Service Tax was first introduced in 2008 at an ad valorem rate of six per cent. The tax is levied on charges payable by consumers for the use of communication services.

In 2018, the tax brought in a total of GHc420 million, representing a 27.7 per cent increase from the estimated GHc304 million accrued in 2017.

The amount generated from the levy was 4.56 per cent more than the projected GHc401.8 million in the 2018 mid-year budget.

However, government in the main budget for 2020 delivered in November 2019 amended the CST Act, increasing it from six percent to nine percent. It took effect from October 1, 2019.

This led to increased agitation among telco customers. But following a directive from the Ministry of Communications, the upfront talk tax deductions were ceased.

However, in the 2020 mid-year budget presentation, government said it will reduce the CST from 9% to 5%.