- The Ghana Revenue Authority has announced that e-hailing drivers and commercial vehicle owners will pay quarterly income tax starting on January 1, 2024.
- The GRA directed new and existing drivers to update their digital platforms and provide proof of VIT payments.
- Meanwhile, all ride-hailing vehicle owners must undergo a one-time registration of their vehicles at the GRA office to make VIT payments using the shortcode, *222#.
Furthermore, the authority issued a guideline for ride-hailing companies, mandating that they demand a soft copy of the VIT sticker, validate the authenticity of stickers with the Ghana Revenue Authority, and submit a list of all vehicles on their platform to the authority quarterly.
This development coincides with Section 22 of Regulations 2016, LI 2244, which addresses the calculation of chargeable income.
Besides, the Commissioner General can issue formal orders, demand information from any taxpayer, or combine their digital system with the Commissioner's monitoring platform to ascertain the precise amount of taxes owed to the state. This move follows the Revenue Administration Act, 2016 (ACT 915) — as amended — sections 1, 33, and 35.
Online drivers collectively ceased operations in September 2019, citing their opposition to what they called "modern-day slavery" imposed by ride-hailing app operators.
Members of this group, affiliated with companies such as Uber, Bolt, Yango, and First Class, accused these companies of lowering trip fares despite consistent increases in fuel prices, negatively impacting their earnings.
Additionally, the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Authority (DVLA) charged drivers who used ride-hailing services like Uber, Yango, and Bolt an annual fee of GH¢60 ($5) in November 2019.
The Authority, the Ministry of Transport, the National Road Safety Commission, the MTTD of the Ghana Police Service, and other key stakeholders collaborated to develop guidelines that included introducing this fee to regulate the operations of digital transportation services.
These developments infuriated online drivers, especially in the face of constant calls to address daily insecurity. The group president once had to order his members to carry weapons for self-defence due to the nationwide wave of violence against drivers.
Meanwhile, Bolt Nigeria recently announced a fuel subsidy bonus campaign for its drivers in Lagos and Abuja to help them mitigate the impact of the rising fuel price. The country’s ride-hailing platform says the campaign will run for the remaining days of the year.
Be the smartest in the room
Give it a try, you can unsubscribe anytime. Privacy Policy.
