Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson announced plans to introduce a bill to Parliament today, Wednesday, March 12, under a certificate of urgency. The bill, which seeks to repeal several taxes—including the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy), the betting tax, and the COVID-19 Levy—will be laid before Parliament for immediate consideration.

Speaking on JoyNews PM Express on Tuesday, Dr. Forson revealed that the proposed changes are set to be fast-tracked. “Tomorrow morning, I will be submitting the bills, and I expect Parliament to fast-track them under a certificate of urgency,” he said. The Minister further assured that the repeal process would be straightforward, with each tax being repealed with a simple clause. “Repealing the betting tax and the E-Levy is quite easy,” he added.

The proposed bill, which qualifies as a revenue measure, will be treated as urgent under Ghana’s Constitution, allowing it to bypass the usual legislative timelines. “It’s a revenue bill, and under the Constitution, you can lay finance bills under a certificate of urgency,” Dr. Forson explained.

With the backing of the NDC Majority in Parliament, Dr. Forson expressed confidence that the bills would pass swiftly. “I assure you, once I submit the bills, Parliament will act fast and approve them,” he said, also noting that President John Dramani Mahama would sign the bills into law promptly once passed.

This push to eliminate these taxes is part of the government’s broader strategy outlined in the 2025 Budget to reduce what it deems as “nuisance taxes” and stimulate economic growth, providing much-needed relief to the people of Ghana.

Source:TheDotNews