Before the beginning of this month, your network service provider I am sure sent you a notification about the implementation of the Communication Service Tax (CST) increment. Prior to this, the government of Ghana publicly announced that it has increased the Communication Service Tax from 6% to 9%. This increment according to the report was going to be effective on 1st October, 2019.
In view of this, network service providers within the country began deducting the tax element of 9% from every recharge purchase you make. Which by implication, meant that you are no longer entitled to the exact amount you purchase as airtime, but the amount you purchased minus a 9% CST charge. The tax deduction, I must confess can be very disheartening especially to those of us, who frequently buy higher amounts of airtime for work and other equally important purposes.
Why should others be paying higher?
The Plight
The issue of paying higher CST comes up when you think of how people, who require higher amounts of airtime to facilitate their business operations. Should it be that they should be incurring this high cost every time they purchase airtime?  If yes, do you not think it will rather increase operational cost, serving as a disincentive for business expansion and may cripple their operations? Read also: Is ‘Bentua’ a weapon for coup? – Mahama ridicules
I guess you will not fathom my plight over the frequent deduction if you are not a frequent airtime buyer. Why does the deduction have to be made on every airtime purchase made? Mind you, the CST is now a direct tax, unlike an indirect tax which effect is not directly felt by we the consuming public.
The Plea
It is said, burdening citizens with tax is like, sitting in a bucket and trying to lift it as well. So dear government, we understand the importance of taxes in our quest for development, but we beseech you to take it easy on us by making it a one-time payment within the day rather than a frequent payment all day long.
Kindly share this publication if you share the same view with me, until the right authorities pick it up. Stay blessed.
