Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, says the government's decision to abolish a number of what it described as ‘nuisance taxes’ is a deliberate move to reduce the tax burden on businesses and households while supporting economic growth.
Presenting the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament on Thursday, July 23, 2026, Dr Forson said the removal of the taxes forms part of a broader strategy to improve the country's tax system through efficient administration rather than imposing additional levies.
"We abolished a number of nuisance taxes, including the E-Levy, betting tax, COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy, emission tax and VAT on motor insurance," he indicated.
According to him, the tax measures are intended to leave more money in the hands of businesses and consumers, stimulate investment and encourage job creation.
Dr Forson explained that the abolition of the taxes complements the government's wider tax reform agenda, which includes Ghana's first comprehensive Value Added Tax (VAT) reforms since 2015.
"For the first time since 2015, we undertook comprehensive VAT reforms, removing distortions, improving efficiency, and strengthening compliance. More importantly, the reforms have left businesses with more working capital to invest, expand, and create jobs," he said.
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Dr Forson stressed that the government's focus is on increasing domestic revenue through better tax administration instead of introducing new taxes.
He added that government has also introduced a sliding-scale royalty regime for gold to ensure the country receives a fairer share of proceeds from its mineral resources.
Dr Forson further disclosed that major customs reforms powered by artificial intelligence and other digital technologies have been rolled out to improve efficiency, strengthen compliance and enhance revenue collection at Ghana's ports.
Background
Minister of Finance Dr Cassiel Ato Forson is presenting the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review to Parliament on Thursday, July 23, 2026.
The review, required under Ghana's public financial management laws, will provide an update on the economy, government revenue and expenditure, debt servicing, and the fiscal outlook for the remainder of 2026.
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