Ghana is facing renewed fiscal debate after the abolition of the Betting Tax, Electronic Levy (E-Levy), and COVID-19 Levy. Policy analysts are warning that the move could result in significant annual revenue losses.
The Centre for Policy Scrutiny (CPS) estimates that the removal of these three taxes may cost the country more than GH¢13 billion each year. According to the think tank, this comes at a challenging time. Government spending pressures remain high and fiscal space is already constrained.
CPS Warns of Rising Fiscal Pressure
CPS noted that although the levies were widely debated and politically sensitive, they had begun to provide a level of fiscal stability. In particular, the E-Levy and COVID-19 Levy were introduced during a period of global economic disruption. This disruption included the pandemic and external shocks such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The centre explained that these measures were designed to support economic stability and social protection during difficult conditions.
Speaking at its monthly forum themed “Assessing the abolishment of the E-Levy, COVID-19 Levy and the Betting Tax: Fiscal impact and Equity Considerations,” lead member Isaac Danso Agyiri highlighted the potential opportunity cost of the policy shift. He noted that the lost revenue could have funded major development projects. These projects could include the construction of more than 10,000 modern school facilities to help reduce Ghana’s education infrastructure gap.
GRA Pushes Back on Revenue Loss Concerns
However, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has rejected concerns that the scrapping of the three taxes has created a major hole in public finances. Officials argue that overall revenue performance has remained strong despite the policy changes.
At the CPS forum, Elsie Appau Klu, Technical Advisor to the Commissioner-General, said early expectations of revenue shortfalls have not materialised.
She explained that the first quarter of 2026 showed stronger-than-expected performance. Total collections reached 33.7 billion Ghana cedis—about 20% higher compared to the same period last year.
While acknowledging initial concerns, she added that the revenue authority has continued to outperform projections. This suggests that overall fiscal resilience remains intact despite the tax removals.
