The Communications Ministry says it has reached an agreement with the Finance Ministry, Bank of Ghana and the National Communications Authority on which aspects of mobile money data will be released to Private Contractor, Kelni GVG.
The Communications Ministry last year requested that the BoG released volumes and values of mobile money transactions to Kelni GVG to enable the company verify revenue generated through those transactions.
However, that request was strongly rejected by the Bank of Ghana which claimed that it amounted to the evasion of subscribers privacy. A section of the public agreed with the Central Bank’s decision. However it appears the four institutions have agreed on some terms.
“The Bank of Ghana cannot and doesn’t intend to dictate to GRA how it does its work. We have gotten to a point where they are actually looking at a draft MoU, which will guide their interaction and cooperation going forward,” Communications Minister Ursula Owusu Ekuful told Citi Business News at the launch of the Huawei ICT competition and Awards Ceremony held last night.
If approved, Kelni GVG will be able to check subscribers accounts and the value of money transfers they make.
The Bank of Ghana had earlier explained that releasing the data would breach the Guidelines of Electronic Money Issuers and the Data Protection Act.
But the Communications Ministry says the bank must assist government in achieving the aim for which reason the decision was taken.
According to Mrs. Ekuful “we have had extensive conversations with them and they understand the rationale for which government set up the common monitoring platform. They have realized that GRA has the right to collect all revenue related information from anyone doing business in this country whichever way they choose,”
She was of the believe that the issue was however misrepresented in the media.
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By Nana Oye Ankrah/Citibusinessnews.com/Ghana.