Parliament Approves Removal of COVID-19 Levy, Minority Demands Broader Tax Cuts
Parliament has given final approval for the abolition of the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy, officially scrapping the tax introduced by the Akufo-Addo administration to fund pandemic-related expenditure.
The repeal, announced in the 2026 Budget and Economic Policy statement, forms part of government’s efforts to ease the tax burden on households and businesses while supporting economic recovery.
Presenting the motion, the Finance Ministry noted that removing the levy is expected to “boost household incomes, support businesses, and accelerate ongoing economic transformation efforts.”
During the debate, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin acknowledged the move as a positive step but stressed the need for broader tax reforms. He urged government to “go further” by eliminating other levies he described as nuisance taxes, including the One Ghana Cedi levy on petroleum products and the 18 percent electricity tariff adjustment.
According to him, removing these additional charges would signal a stronger commitment to easing cost pressures on consumers and industry.
