Parliament Approves Abolition of COVID-19 Levy
Lawmakers approve the repeal of the pandemic-era tax following its announcement in the 2026 Budget
- Parliament of Ghana has approved the repeal of the COVID-19 lev
- The tax was introduced under Nana Akufo-Addo to fund pandemic spending
- Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin wants wider tax cuts beyond the COVID-19 levy
Parliament of Ghana has approved the abolition of the COVID-19 levy, officially ending a tax introduced under the administration of Nana Akufo-Addo to finance pandemic-related spending.
The removal of the levy follows its repeal announcement by the Finance Minister during the presentation of the 2026 Budget. Government says the move is intended to ease the financial burden on households, stimulate business growth, and speed up economic transformation.
Contributing to the debate on the floor of the House, the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, welcomed the decision but challenged the government to deepen its tax relief measures.
He called for the abolition of what he described as “nuisance taxes,” including the One Ghana Cedi levy on petroleum products and the 18 percent electricity tariff, arguing that such steps would prove government’s genuine commitment to reducing the cost of living.
According to him, meaningful tax cuts across key sectors will provide real relief to Ghanaians and strengthen confidence in the government’s economic recovery agenda.
