By Elsie Appiah-Osei, GNA
Accra, May 27, GNA – The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority Caucus has accused the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) of reintroducing charges on mobile money transactions while bypassing parliamentary approval, calling the move “hypocrisy.”
As a result, the Caucus had demanded an explanation from Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, the Minister of Finance.
Addressing the Parliamentary Press Corps in Parliament House on Tuesday, Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Minority Leader, said: “the government plans to impose a 0.75 per cent charge on mobile money transactions from bank accounts to wallets, set to take effect on June 1st.”
“The NDC is reintroducing a 0.75 per cent charge on mobile money transactions from bank account to wallet, starting June 1st,” he added.
Mr Afenyo-Markin, also the NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu, argued that the policy mirrors the Electronic Transaction (E-levy) the NDC opposed while in opposition.
“The NDC criticised the NPP for doing the same with the E-levy while in opposition,” he said.
According to the Minority Caucus, the charge was being implemented through the Bank of Ghana and mobile money providers rather than through Parliament.
“The NDC didn’t go through Parliament this time. Instead, the Bank of Ghana and mobile money providers are being used to implement the charge,” he said.
The Minority Caucus contended that this approach “skips due process and budget approval.” The Caucus said public backlash followed the announcement, prompting the Bank of Ghana to say it was “suspending” the charge for further consultation.
The opposition dismissed the suspension as insufficient. “After public backlash, the BoG released a statement saying they are ‘suspending’ the charge for further consultation. He dismissed the suspension, saying the citizenry and NPP were not interested in a suspension but wanted to know why it was introduced this way.
“As a next step, the NPP Minority Caucus is demanding that the Finance Minister appear before Parliament to explain the policy.
“We are demanding the Finance Minister to come to Parliament on Thursday to explain the circumstances,” he said.
Mr Afenyo-Markin framed the charge as part of a broader pattern of the “NDC government’s propaganda” that says one thing and does another, citing unfulfilled promises on jobs and food prices as examples.
He urged the public to seek clarification on the official process behind the policy, pointing to the need to verify the BoG’s official notice from May/June 2026 on the charges.
“Whether the policy was passed through Parliament or via regulatory directive and if the NDC’s stated reason for the “further consultation,” he said.
The controversy surrounding the 0.75 per cent charge has triggered widespread public debate, with stakeholders in the financial and logistics sectors warning of its potential impact on digital transactions and the cost of doing business.
The BoG has since suspended the fee, pending further stakeholder consultations.
The wallet-to-bank transfer fee announced by Mobile Money Fintech Limited (MMFL) has sparked public debate over its potential impact on digital transactions and financial inclusion.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, the central bank said the decision forms part of efforts to ensure fairness in the mobile financial services ecosystem while protecting consumers.
GNA
Edited by Linda Asante Agyei
Reporter: Elsie Appiah-Osei, GNA
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