By: Herman Kwame Kumatsey Across Africa, governments are increasingly turning to mobile money as a revenue lever as fiscal pressures intensify and digital transactions become more visible, yet evidence from multiple markets shows a consistent outcome: usage declines, financial inclusion weakens, and the tax base ultimately shrinks. Mobile money has expanded financial access at a scale few systems have achieved, bringing millions into the formal economy and reshaping how individuals and small businesses transact. That progress depends on consistent, everyday usage, which is highly sensitive to cost, and industry analysis shows that when the cost of transacting rises, behaviour adjusts quickly. The Same Pattern, Repeated The experience across markets follows a familiar sequence in which a tax is introduced, transaction costs increase, users adjust how they transact, and volumes decline. The expected revenue gains do not materialise at scale, which then leads to revisions or the eve...
Dr. David Tetteh has been elected and sworn in as a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NDC Professionals Forum , in a move seen as strengthening the Forum’s policy and technical capacity. Dr. Tetteh, a pharmacist and marketing professional, currently serves on the Governing Board of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA). He brings extensive expertise in pharmacy practice, pharmaceutical marketing, and health policy implementation, particularly in support of ongoing reforms within Ghana’s health insurance system. His election comes at a pivotal time for the Professionals Forum, which is seeking to deepen its engagement in policy formulation, professional mobilisation, and strategic support for the party’s broader national agenda. Over the years, Dr. Tetteh has held several key roles within the Forum and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), including Branch Chairman, National Operations Coordinator for the Young Professionals Forum, Director of R...