Mahama Signs Bills to Abolish Unpopular E-Levy, Betting Tax, Others
Accra, Ghana - 02 April, 2025 - Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama has signed into law a series of bills abolishing several taxes, including the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy), Betting Tax, and Emissions Tax.
This move fulfills a key campaign promise made by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to alleviate the financial burden on Ghanaians.
The abolished taxes had faced significant public resistance since their introduction. The E-Levy, which imposed a 1% charge on electronic transactions, was criticized for its impact on disposable incomes.
The Betting Tax, which levied a 10% charge on gross winnings from gambling activities, also faced criticism from stakeholders in the gaming industry.
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson presented eight bills to Parliament on March 13, 2025, targeting the repeal and amendment of various taxes and levies. These bills included the Electronic Transfer Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2025, and the Emissions Levy (Repeal) Bill, 2025.
The tax reforms are part of the government's efforts to address inefficiencies in the current tax structure and ease the financial burden on businesses and households.
The government plans to restructure the Value Added Tax (VAT) system, eliminate the VAT flat rate regime, and raise the VAT registration threshold to exempt micro and small businesses from collecting.
Source: Lead News Online
