The Communication Tax, popularly known as Talk Time Tax takes effect from today, Sunday, June 1, 2008. Mobile phone users will from today six per cent more on every one minute that they talk on phone. The tax also affects all other forms of communication such as the internet, broadcasting, cable, maritime and satellite. Government spokesperson on finance, Mr. Kweku Kwarteng told Joy News that the tax will in the final analysis inure to the greater benefit of Ghanaians. According to him with the implementation of the tax all import duties on communication equipment will be removed. That he said will lead to a reduction in the cost of such equipment and make them cheap for Ghanaians. Meanwhile telecommunication companies say they are yet to decide how to implement the tax. But the Value Added Tax has warned it will take the tax from the companies and failure by the companies will attract sanctions. The Talk Time Tax generated huge controversy with particularly opposition parties arguing against it on the basis that citizens were being overtaxed. Some opposition Parliamentarians even argued that the tax will negatively affect free speech. The National Union of Ghana Students was also against the tax saying it will affect its members. But after months of intensive lobbying and campaigns by the government, Parliament passed the law facilitating the process for the Tax to be implemented. Story by Malik Abass Daabu