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14.03.2008 Business & Finance

Import Tax On Mobile Phones Off

14.03.2008 LISTEN
By Daily Guide

As a way of promoting universal access to telecommunication in Ghana, government is in the process of waiving importation taxes on mobile phones.

The move was expected to pave the way for the imposition of the talk tax which is currently being debated in Parliament.

At present, government is constructing a National Fibre Backbone to cut down cost of telephony, improve the national telecommunications infrastructure and promote innovation in the telecom industry.

The Minister for Communications, Benjamin Aggrey Ntim who disclosed this at the launch of a merger between Motorola Phones and Melcom in Accra said, “Ghana acknowledges the need to be part of the new emerging economic order where information and knowledge are fundamental to achieving competitiveness, investment, improved human capacity and governance that lead to wealth creation and national prosperity.”

He gave the assurance that government was committed to providing the enabling environment to encourage the private sector to play its expected role in the economic development of the country.

The Joint Group Manager of Melcom, Ramesh Sadhwani said the company with a working force of 1,200, paid GH¢9,000,000 in taxes by way of import duties, VAT and other taxes.

He noted, “In fulfillment of our social responsibilities, we have donated various sums of money to promote social, health and educational programs, some of which include donations to the Asantehene's Educational Trust Fund.”

Mr. Sadhwani disclosed that construction had commenced of the company's largest branch covering a land mass of approximately 80,000 sq. ft. The project upon completion would be the largest single shop in Ghana.

With the partnership, Melcom, Ghana's largest retail department store would be the only official distributor of Motorola phones in Ghana.

Melcom, already representing many world-class brands would open another branch soon, bringing to 19 the number of outlets in Ghana since its inception in 1988.

By Ellen Sheilla Arthur

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