The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications has reported that telecommunication companies in the country paid taxes and other remittances totaling GHC6.07 billion to the government in 2022.

Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, revealed this information at the launch of the 2022 Mobile Industry Transparency Initiative Report in Accra.

The breakdown of the GHC6.07 billion includes payments of GHC1.7 billion for Corporate Income Tax, GHC922.9 million for Value Added Tax, GHC679.4 million for Withholding Tax, GHC482.8 million for the electronic levy, GHC768 million for NHIL, GETF levy, and COVID-19, GHC511.6 million for Communications Service Tax, GHC175.18 million for PAYE, and GHC560.7 million for other remittances.

Dr. Ashigbey called on the government to consider granting tax holidays to the industry, highlighting the significant tax burden faced by the telecommunications sector.

Additionally, he mentioned that beyond taxes and remittances, the industry has contributed to job creation, with over 202,600 direct jobs and about 3.1 million indirect jobs in the mobile financial services sector.

He said considering the fact that telecommunications was foundational to ensuring real growth, it was important for the government to see the industry as a “cash cow rather than the work horse” that would drive other businesses.