Digital Marketing expert and blogger, Barimah Amoaning Samuel, also known as Entamoty, has raised concerns about inflated revenue figures quoted by some content creators.
In an interview on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z, Entamoty pointed out that such exaggerations may be a factor in the Ghana Revenue Authority’s decision to tax YouTubers and other content creators.
He criticized his colleagues for boasting about earning large sums of money from platforms like YouTube, stating that most of these claims are untrue. According to Entamoty, these exaggerations are made to enhance their bargaining power when negotiating deals.
While some content creators may seem to be living lavish lifestyles, Entamoty debunked the notion that they are all building mansions and amassing properties from their work. He emphasized that only a small percentage of creators are actually making significant profits from platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
Although he acknowledged the importance of paying taxes, Entamoty called on the government to engage with content creators to better understand the intricacies of their trade. He suggested that the focus should not solely be on taxing their work but on finding ways to make their work more viable and effective.
The issue of taxing content creators came into the spotlight after YouTuber Kwadwo Sheldon discussed the government’s plan to impose taxes on the works of Ghanaian content creators, MCs, and brand influencers in an interview with BBC. Sheldon expressed concerns about the impact of such taxes on the earnings of content creators, highlighting that the US government and other entities already take a portion of their income.
In 2023, the Ghana Revenue Authority announced its intention to expand its tax collection base to include influencers, bloggers, content creators, and MCs. This move is in line with the country’s income tax law, which requires all income earners to file their taxes, including those in the digital content creation space.
