Mobile Money Agents Threaten Strike Over Delayed Commission Payments

Four mobile money associations are threatening to embark on industrial action over what it describes as undue delay in the payment of commissions. The Associations including Mobile Money Advocacy Group, Northern Momo Agents, ABAG and MM Agents Association of Ghana blamed the undue delay on audits of their transactions which they say delay payments of their commissions for weeks.

In a joint press statement sighted by Citi News, the group demanded an increase in the cap in commission from GH¢1,000 to GH¢3,000. They also proposed that cash-out commission shares be pegged by 50%. The group further wants maximum amount per cash out to be GH¢1,000. The Associations in a statement amongst others are proposing that, the cash in Commission cap be moved from GH¢1,000 to GH¢ 3,000 while the 0.5% rate is maintained.

Failure to do something about the status quo will have operational implications for Agents and customers alike. Cash-out commission shares should be made 50%. Maximum amount per cash out is GH¢1000. We are unable to cooperate with the two payment cycles i.e. 15th and 27th of the following month for payment of previous month’s commissions to our members. The Associations argued that further delay in payment will reduce the purchasing power of Agents.

Further delay in payment reduces the purchasing power of what is paid Agents due to the current inflationary rate and cost of service availability. That auditing and validation as the cause of the current undue delay, cannot be justified hence we want all our members to be paid the same date on or before 15th of each Month. That it was totally wrong to unilaterally decide on payment in batches without prior agreement with leadership. The Business is very opaque in dealing with Agents commissions, the Associations said.