Bring Back The ‘Cancelled’ Taxes?” Analyst Drops GH¢18BN Bombshell

The debate over Ghana’s tax system just got louder as the Centre for Policy Scrutiny pushes for a bold reversal — bring back scrapped taxes like the E-Levy, COVID-19 levy, and betting tax. These taxes were previously axed by the Government of Ghana ahead of the 2024 elections, branded as “nuisance taxes” that were draining already stretched citizens. But now, tax analyst Isaac Danso Agyiri says ditching them completely might not have been the smartest long-term move. Speaking at a policy presentation on April 7, Agyiri argued that with the right tweaks, these taxes could rake in a massive GH¢18 billion by 2027 — a serious lifeline as government spending climbs and cash flow tightens. But he’s not saying bring them back the same way. His pitch? Redesign them to be less painful and more fair. For the controversial E-Levy, he suggested raising the daily minimum threshold — meaning transactions up to GH¢500 could be exempt. Translation: smaller, everyday transfers won’t be taxed. He also floated the idea of a cap, proposing that no one should pay more than GH¢100 per transaction, no matter how big. The goal, he says, is balance — generate revenue without crushing low-income earners. Agyiri also proposed that any money collected from these revived taxes should be locked into pro-poor programmes, making sure the system doesn’t just take, but also gives back where it’s needed most. The taxes Ghanaians thought were gone for good might be staging a comeback — but this time, redesigned to look a bit more “fair” on paper.