BY IBRAHIM JOENAL SESAY
232NEWS, FREETOWN —
As the saying goes action speaks louder than words, customers of Sierra Leone biggest GSM operator Africell owner of Afrimoney continue demonstrating love to customers as the world is going through a very hard time.
Soothingly, the afrimoney Director, Martison Obeng-Agyei announced in a radio interview at Afriradio that Management of Afrimoney has understood the difficult times the world is in and because the percentage of buying EDSA has gone up, they wanted to show love to their customers by giving them 10% cashback to any customer that use Afrimoney to buy EDSA recharge.
Afrimoney Director went on to say considering the challenges in the world, the increase in prices among others and if these things are happening this is the best time for them to share the love they proclaim.
“There is a time to share what we have to the people that gave us what we have, there is a time to get closer to the people who fall on us when the times are most important. It is not just about words but action,” he said.
He explained that in the first 10 days of the month, they are give away 10% to any customer that use afrimoney to buy EDSA.
He said if a customer buys NLe 5,000 of EDSA via Afrimoney, they will give the customer 10% cashback instantly on the phone that the person did the transaction with.
He encouraged customers to use the afrimoney service to buy their own EDSA, even cooperate organizations are mostly welcome to do so.
“Instead of you buying it the old way, use your Afrimoney wallet to buy it now, once you do, we give you 10% cashback. If you buy NLe 500 of EDSA with Afrimoney wallet, we will give you NLe 15 cashback,” he explained.
Martison further stated that they are putting money back into the hands of their customers for an activity they are doing before.
On the side of the 15% GST, the afrimoney Director pointed out that, the GST is part of the new finance act of 2023 the government passed and is now a task that they inquire when they do a mobile money transaction on the charge not on the amount.
He said for instance, if a customer wants to send NLe 100 before the 15th of October, they would have paid on afrimoney NLe 0.5 that is 5cent to be able to send from your afrimoney wallet to another afrimoney wallet.
“On that 0.5, there is a GST of 15% therefore the 15% on that 0.5 is 0.08, your total charge will now become 0.5 + 0.08 = 58cent when you are sending NLe 100. So the calculation of the GST is not on the amount you are sending but on the charge. The mobile company charge and you pay that to the government. That money is not coming to us, it goes directly to the government,” he explained.
He disclosed that if an afrimoney customer wants to send money from his/her wallet to another afrimoney customer’s wallet, that person will not pay the GST,
“We will charge you nothing to send money from your afrimoney wallet to another afrimoney wallet for Free,” he said.
But if you are doing cash out (withdraw money from your wallet) you will pay the 15% on the charge.
He explained further that “if you wants to cash out NLe 1000 from an agent, afrimoney will charge you NLe 20 but now because of the GST you will pay NLe 23, the NLe 3 is going to government not to us. Everybody charge will increase a lit by the GST, your usual charge will increase a little by the GST that is to government.
He emphasized that, the agent is not bearing any cost because they are just facilitating the business the customer wants to do. “We are telling customers not to pay any money to an agent, just go there and do your transaction. Send the money from your phone to the agent afrimoney number, don’t give any additional money to them because afrimoney will pay the agent it commission in that transaction,” he stated.
He continue to say, once the 15% GST was introduced they had a few comments here and there but they are implementing on behalf of the government. He said Afrimoney has also adjust their system to ensure that the right thing is apply and for customers not to have any unwarranted charges and if a customer have any issue, they can call 111 customers’ center and they will address it.
He said there is no limits on the amount a customer can transfer, as to feel is to do and that is what they are doing, noting that the promotion is not time bound until further notice.
We have been with this customers for a long time. You can’t disappears on the people when they needy you the most. We have a heart and we are thinking how we can bring the people back to life and the best way to do so, is to give them money. When you truly love, you truly give, you don’t hold back.
He also tell customers to buy fuel at an Conex station you will and when a customer buys 10 litres of fuel from any Conex Station, that customers will get 10 megabytes, 20 litres, give 20 megabytes, and the list goes on.
