Scrapping of 20% excise duty on local fruit juices laudable - GFL

The Secretary‑General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has commended government’s decision to abolish the 20 percent excise duty on locally manufactured fruit juices, describing the move as a major relief for local industry and agro‑processing.

Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Yepe Ahunu programme on Saturday, July 25, 2026, Koomson said the removal of the levy would ease the financial burden on producers, reduce operational costs, and strengthen Ghana’s competitiveness against imported fruit juices.

He noted that the policy reversal would also encourage expansion, investment, and job creation across the value chain.

The excise duty, introduced in 2023, was officially scrapped on July 23, 2026, during the presentation of the Mid‑Year Budget Review in Parliament by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.

“This decision will support agro‑processing, promote domestic manufacturing, and encourage investment in business growth,” Koomson stated.

While welcoming the move, he urged government to go further by reviewing what he described as “nuisance taxes” that continue to weigh heavily on businesses. He specifically cited the fumigation levy, the Import Declaration Form (IDF) levy, and the proposed cargo levy, warning that such charges inflate production costs, undermine productivity, and slow industrial growth.

Koomson stressed that reducing unnecessary taxes is vital to improving Ghana’s business environment, attracting investment, and driving sustainable industrialisation.