Mobile money data has become a source of a feud between the Communications ministry demanding it and the Central Bank which is keeping it.
Letters from the Communications ministry contain requests wrapped in strong words asking the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to release the data to a private contractor, Kelni GVG, tasked to verify revenue generated by telcos.
One of the letters signed by Anastasia Marfo from the Communications ministry said the “level of disrespect exhibited by the bank in this matter is simply appalling”.
This was after the central bank in a letter, signed by the secretary, Frances Van-Hein Sackey, insisted the request by the ministry is an invasion of privacy of mobile money subscribers.
The Communications ministry wants disclosure of customer balances, transaction amounts, date and time of the transactions.
But the letter from the Central Bank explained that handing over such data would breach the Guidelines of Electronic Money Issuers and the Data Protection Act.
The Bank in a letter insisted that even though it is willing to work with the various regulators, the current laws do not allow it to hand over such confidential data to Kelni GVG.
The secretary of the Bank of Ghana said the Communications ministry’s authority over telcos ends when it comes to mobile money transactions.
BoG has, therefore, written to the various telcos to disregard the earlier letter from the Communications Ministry requesting them to hand over the data.
There have been some informal meetings between the two parties and even the Ministry of Finance to resolve the issue.
However, it is not clear for now whether, the Communications Ministry, National Communications Authority (NCA) and Kelni GVG have agreed to review their position after these informal meetings.
Mobile Money transactions which hit ¢109 billion by September 2017 has become an important source of income for telecommunication companies.
The figure for September 2017 is a 112% jump from the September 2016 figure of ¢51.4 billion. In the first half of 2018 alone, mobile money transactions cross ¢104 billion
The amounts bandied around represent a juicy opportunity for a revenue-hungry government to wade into the money-making mobile service.
Who is right?
Persons with knowledge of the best practices in the other parts of the world have all argued that the BoG is right over the stance it has taken.
Others have argued that many customers have mobile money wallets which are linked to their bank accounts, so if, Ministry of Communications and NCA want Kelni GVG to see the transactions, then it has to be done with the permission of the Bank of Ghana.
The demand for Mobile Money data is a fresh fight from the Communications Ministry which is determined to implement the Communication Service (Amendment) Act passed in 2013.
The Ministry, in May 2018, demanded that telcos allow Kelni GVG to plug into their systems to monitor call traffic as a way of ensuring the taxes they declare are accurate.
The Communications Minister called the resistance from the telcos “completely unjustified, fanciful or smack of disrespect for our laws” after they expressed fears of privacy breaches in connecting Kelni GVG.
The central bank is the latest organisation to attract the Ministry’s use of the word ‘disrespect’.
Source: myjoyonline.com
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MOC is to monitor communications traffic not revenue. if MOC wants the records for tax purpose they can request momo report from BOG being it monthly or quarterly to reconcile tax declaration from the telcos not necessarily allowing the MOC Kelni GVG to hook their machines to individuals private accounts through momo. The kelni GVG is a contractor, tomorrow if they are kicked out they may have whole financial information at hand to malign individuals or subvert the state. Is only in Ghana we don't value data. MOC should be very careful in their deals with strategic issues like this and not be emotional about selfish interest.
The two Institutions will sort things out. I do appreciate that under the Akofo-Addo Administration the BOG has the muscles to display its independence. Under the NDC-Administration this would have been a nightmare, definitely impossible. The regulatory function of the BOG is reinvigorated under NPP-Administration and if at the end of the day the courts have to decide then is fair and good. We are no more in a Bana-Republic.
@ Yaw ... when Government introduced the Financial Services Tax did they ask for customer balances before implementing? Didn't they use financials from Banks? They can implement and tax telcos base on financials and just make sure that whatever the telcos are reporting are in line with BOGs report. The role of BOG is not to monitor revenue generated by Telcos. MoMo is just one source of revenue. Equally they can get an order from the court to compel BOG to disclose balances of MoMo users but till that is done BOG is "very" right
@ASIEDU NKETIA well its the likes of you who would make such comments, hahahahahaha tiwuuuui momoni...
tell ursula owusu to fix the potholes in dansoman,stop the gibberish talks
BOG is not getting the drift or they are just being mischief, MOC is seeking to monitor the revenues the Telcos are generating from MOMO so as to enable the state to tax them appropriately. MOC is not taking over BOG's job. The BOG Secretary was just mischief and also trying to make MOC look bad by stating that they want to know people's momo balance, transactions, and data. MOC just want to know the exact revenue being made by the Telcos for tax purposes. Otherwise, they the BOG should tell the state how they will monitor revenues from momo by Telcos to enable us take our appropriate taxes.