Ghanaians are beginning to feel relief following the removal of several taxes described as burdensome by the government, Executive Director of Taxpayers League Ghana, Hopeson Yaovi Adorye, has noted.
According to him, the effect is already visible.
In a statement, he posited that taxes, which were scrapped in the Mahama administration’s 2025 Budget, are the 1% Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy), 10% withholding tax on betting and lottery winnings, Emissions Levy on industries and vehicles, VAT on motor vehicle insurance, and the 1.5% withholding tax on unprocessed gold from small-scale miners.
Parliament passed the repeal bills and President John Dramani Mahama assented to them in April 2025.
He said the removal of E-Levy has made mobile money transfers cheaper for traders, students and families who rely on digital transactions and remittances, while the scrapping of the betting tax, emissions levy and VAT on vehicle insurance has eased the burden on businesses and motorists.
According to him, the move signals a shift from taxing everything to building a system that encourages compliance and growth.
Mr. Adorye however cautioned that tax relief should not lead to revenue collapse. He urged government to focus on better taxes rather than more taxes by broadening the tax base, closing loopholes, digitising revenue collection and ensuring the wealthy pay their fair share.
He added that attention must now be on VAT reform, noting that government has already acknowledged that the current VAT regime is complex and costly and has started a comprehensive review to simplify it.
“The repeal is just the beginning. The true test will be whether Ghanaians feel the difference in their pockets, whether businesses can operate more freely, and whether every cedi collected is used responsibly,” he said.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme