Taxing MoMo Will Collapse Financial Inclusion Gains — ISSER Warns Gov't

The Institute for Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) is warning moves by the government to impose any form of tax on mobile money services in the country. The Institute says it will collapse the successes chalked in the financial inclusion agenda.

In its post-budget review on the 2020 budget, Director of the Institute, Professor Peter Quartey said the country's small and medium enterprises have been relying on mobile money services for their transactions especially after the shutdown of some savings and loans companies in recent times.

"Concerns about taxing mobile money remains and can affect financial deepening especially the poor who have no access to formal banking services especially with the collapse of Microfinance and other non-bank financial institutions," he said.

Professor Quartey argues that taxing certain areas of the economy including mobile money will affect the growth of the financial sector. ISSER believes the 2020 budget statement lacks concrete plans in raising domestic revenue to finance key infrastructure projects.

According to ISSER, the country's inability to meet many fiscal targets in the 2019 financial year should have provided an opportunity for the government to give a clear strategy of achieving in 2020, a situation they described as problematic.

Prof. Quartey also questioned the claim by the Finance Minister that the government has put some GH¢12.4 billion into the pockets of Ghanaians. "Has the jobs provided under NABCO, youth in afforestation,

Youth Employment Agency among others adequate to absorb the teeming youth unemployment challenges?" The Institute also described the 2020 budget as a neutral plan which fails to be bold on Revenue generation.