Mahama to Businesses: No New Taxes, Just Fair Ones

President John Dramani Mahama has assured the Ghanaian business community that his administration will not introduce new taxes to tackle the country’s economic challenges, but will instead focus on making the current tax system more transparent and fair.

Speaking to business leaders during a post-event discussion following the Kwahu Business Forum, Mahama stressed the need for trust and cooperation between the private sector and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

“When the Ghana Revenue Authority was introduced, everyone applauded — and rightly so,” Mahama said. “The GRA is your friend. I can assure you they are your friend, and they will become even more business-friendly.”

Mahama argued that increasing the tax burden would be counterproductive, noting that it often leads to tax avoidance rather than increased compliance.

“The solution is not to pile on more taxes,” he explained. “The solution is to make taxes more transparent and fair.”

To support his point, he cited the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) introduced by the previous administration, which aimed to raise revenue through mobile money and electronic payments. According to Mahama, the levy did the opposite of what was intended.

“We warned that people would find ways to avoid the E-Levy — and they did. Instead of solving financial challenges, people simply stopped using mobile wallets and went back to cash,” he said.

Mahama emphasized that building a fair and predictable tax environment is key to restoring public confidence and boosting voluntary compliance.

He also highlighted the importance of balancing revenue generation with business sustainability and economic growth.

“We need a tax system that supports businesses, not one that scares them into hiding,” he noted.

With the country still grappling with economic uncertainty, Mahama’s remarks were seen as a reassurance to the private sector that his government intends to partner with businesses, not pressure them.