Telcos begin charging 9% Communication Service Tax today

The tax was hitherto pegged at 6%. It was increased to 9% after the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta announced that the CST will be higher.

He announced this decision in Parliament in July during the presentation of the 2019 mid-year budget review.

Mobile users have received text messages from their service providers about the increase. The telcos in their messages said the increase will be “applied to every recharge.”

“Dear customer, with the increase in Communications Service Tax – CST to 9%, effective 1st October 2019, CST of 9% will be applied to every recharge. Thank you,” a text to a Vodafone Ghana user read.

A statement issued by the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications said that the increase means that “for every GH¢1 of recharge purchased, a 9% CST fee will be charged leaving GhS0.91 for purchase of products and services".

If you purchase GHC2 airtime you will have GHC1.82

Airtime of GHC5 will leave the customer with GHC4.55

When a client buys GHC10 the customer will have GHC9.1 for purchase of products and services.

GHC20 airtime will leave you with GHC18.2 worth of airtime

When you buy a GHC50 worth of airtime you will get GHC45.5 for products and services.