According to Abu Ramadan and Henry Asante in a press release, \u201cAFAG holds the belief that, multinational companies (ie MTN, Vodafon,Tigo etc) have no basis to dictate to the state especially when it bothers on transparency and monitoring of revenue generation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Only one TELCO declared profit<\/strong><\/p>\n They argued that only one TELCO have so far declared profit to warrant taxation adding that the rest over the years have never declared profit which has made government to lose\u00a0a great deal of revenue while questioning \u201cwho monitors the TELCOS to see if their revenue declared is the true position? Should we continue to loose over $100 million annually to SIM Boxing? indeed,\u00a0 some TELCOs are complaining of losing revenue through SIM Boxing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cInterestingly, they have not also liquidated. This magical phenomenon of deliberately evading taxes is worsened by what appears to be the collaboration of TELCOs and some individuals to illegally terminate calls through SIMboxing.\u201d<\/p>\n MTN lost GH\u00a234m to SIMboxing<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAccording to MTN, it estimates loses of approximately GHC 34 million annually to SIMboxing. The related annual loss for Government of Ghana would be approximately GHC 16 million for international incoming traffic that should have been terminated on MTN\u2019s network alone (ref: MTN website)\u201d<\/p>\n AFAG in supporting the ICH move argued that its introduction can help monitor instant call records terminating on operator sites insisting that this will prevent TELCOS from under declaring revenue.<\/p>\n \u201cICH thus, will ensure total disclosure of revenues automatically.\u201d<\/p>\n AFAG however suggested that “government must ensure extensive consultations and harmonisation with stakeholders to the mutual benefit of all actors.”<\/p>\n Gov\u2019t sued over ICH<\/strong><\/p>\n The Member of Parliament (MP) for Obuasi West, Kwaku Kwarteng, together with Mr Elijah Adansi-Bonah, the Research Director of Development Data (a policy research organisation) have sued the National Communications Authority<\/strong><\/a><\/span> (NCA) over the\u00a0introduction of the ICH.<\/p>\n They claim they took the decision in order to challenge the setting up of the Interconnect Clearing House hence\u00a0praying the court to declare it as \u201cunlawful and unnecessary.\u201d<\/p>\n The ICH will handle just 15% of domestic calls \u2013 Konfidants\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Contrary to Ghana government\u2019s many stated positive reasons for launching a single Interconnect Clearing House to stem a long list of claimed abuses, such as SIMBox fraud and tax under-declaration by the telcos, a Swiss-Ghanaian consulting firm has produced analysis to show that the ICH will handle less than 15%<\/strong><\/span><\/a> of domestic calls.<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Godwin Allotey Akweiteh\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n![\"](\"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/interconnect-clearing-house.jpg\"){kind=spacer}
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