GRA cracks down on E-Levy compliance: Strict monitoring and record-keeping mandated

The Ghana Income Authority (GRA) has issued a stern directive to all monetary establishments and digital cash operators, emphasizing strict compliance monitoring and record-keeping within the wake of the abolition of the 1% Digital Switch Levy (E-Levy).

With the Digital Switch Levy Act, 2022 (Act 1075) and its Modification Act, 2022 (Act 1089) now totally in impact as of April 2, 2025, the GRA has made it clear that every one charging entities should stop making use of the levy instantly and implement rigorous refund processes for any deductions which will have been made after the legislation took impact.

In an announcement signed by Edward Apenteng Gyamerah, Commissioner of the Home Tax Income Division, the GRA has warned that failure to adjust to the brand new directives will lead to sanctions as prescribed by legislation.

To make sure easy enforcement of the brand new rules, the Digital Switch Levy Administration and Assurance System (ELMAS) has been reconfigured to routinely return a “no cost” response on all transactions. Charging entities should instantly adhere to the next key mandates:

1. Fast Halt on E-Levy Deductions – All monetary establishments and cell cash platforms should stop charging the 1% levy from midnight on April 2, 2025 throughout all their channels.
2. Necessary Refunds for Prospects – Any E-Levy deductions made after April 2 have to be refunded promptly, with entities required to determine an expedited refund course of and preserve correct documentation of all refunds processed. Stories of those refunds have to be submitted to the GRA.
3. Settlement of Excellent E-Levy Funds – Charging entities should file and pay all excellent E-Levy costs collected earlier than April 2 to keep away from penalties.
4. Continued Transaction Reporting to ELMAS – Regardless of the abolition of the E-Levy, all digital switch transactions should nonetheless be reported to the GRA system (ELMAS) till additional discover, as mandated by Part 33A of the Income Administration Act, 2016 (Act 915).
5. Necessary Six-Yr Report-Preserving – All entities concerned in digital transactions should preserve detailed digital switch data for at the least six years, in keeping with Part 27(3) of the Income Administration Act.

To make sure full adherence, the GRA has introduced that common compliance checks can be carried out throughout all digital switch platforms.

Any failure to adjust to these new directives can be handled as an offence, with offending entities going through sanctions in accordance with the legislation.

With this strict enforcement, the GRA is making it clear that whereas the E-Levy could also be gone, compliance, transparency, and accountability stay paramount in Ghana’s evolving monetary panorama.

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