By President John Dramani Mahama says the repeal of the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) fulfills his promise. The removal of the Betting Tax and Emissions Levy also fulfills his promise. It eases the financial burden on Ghanaians. It also stimulates economic activity.
In a Facebook post on April 3, 2025, he wrote, “Great news for our beloved country, Ghana! I have signed the bills repealing the E-Levy, Betting Tax, and Emissions Levy. This fulfils a key promise we made to ease the burden on Ghanaians and boost economic activity.”
The abolished taxes had faced strong public opposition. The E-Levy was introduced in 2022. It placed a 1% charge on electronic transactions, including mobile money transfers and online payments. This discouraged digital financial transactions.
The Betting Tax imposed a 10% levy on gambling winnings. It drew resistance from industry players. Meanwhile, the Emissions Levy faced criticism for increasing costs for vehicle owners and businesses.
Beyond these repeals, Mr Mahama has signed amendments to several other tax laws. The Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025, eliminates withholding taxes on lottery and betting winnings. The Petroleum Revenue Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aims to improve the use of petroleum revenues for infrastructure projects.
Other legislative changes include amendments to the Earmarked Funds Capping and Realignment Act. They also include changes to the Public Financial Management Act and the Value Added Tax Act. These changes are expected to improve government fiscal management.
The Finance Ministry has stated that the tax reforms will reduce costs for businesses and individuals. They will encourage investment and support economic growth.
