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Ghana will have lowest tax rate in ECOWAS under my presidency – Alan
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The founder and leader of the Movement for Change, Alan Kyerematen, has pledged to abolish several taxes imposed on imports that he said are unnecessary and a huge burden to the trading community.
Mr. Kyerematen made the pledge in an engagement with members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA).
He said the abolishment of such taxes and levies would make Ghana the country within the ECOWAS subregion with the lowest tax regime.
“Under my presidency, Ghana will have the lowest tax rate regime in ECOWAS,” he said.
Outlining a raft of radical tax measures to realign and reduce the burden of taxes on Ghanaians, especially on imports, Mr. Kyerematen said immediate measures will include consolidating the existing NHIL & GETFund levies at the ports into the calculation of a new VAT rate, and the abolition of the Special Import Levy of 2%, COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy and the Ghana Health Service Disinfection Fee.
Recognising the level of stress and difficulties faced by the Ghanaian business owner, which is ultimately transferred to the customer, Mr. Kyerematen stressed the importance of easing the business environment for traders as a means of improving the livelihoods of ordinary Ghanaians.
“Until government creates an enabling environment for private sector-led growth, the transformation that we so desire will continue to elude us,” he said.
In another groundbreaking and innovative approach, Alan Kyerematen intimated that a government under his leadership will shift from the current heavy reliance on indirect taxes to direct taxes.
“I will ensure a recalibration of the existing tax regime structure to optimize revenue mobilization from direct taxes (personal and corporate), and reduce over-reliance on indirect taxes (import duties, levies, and charges) to make the corporate sector more competitive and profitable,”he said.
Mr. Kyerematen based his remarks on the plans set out in his Great Transformational Plan (GTP) which seeks to move beyond mere promises of political party manifestos to actual plans that can deliver the vision of Ghanaians for a prosperous, united, and peaceful Ghana that provides equal opportunities for all, especially young people, women, and other vulnerable groups.
He promised that taxes and other charges on the importation of spare parts would be abolished two years into his administration.
Mr. Kyerematen further promised to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the relevance of all other administrative fees, service charges, and levies imposed at the ports will be undertaken.
Bemoaning the plethora of taxes that make doing business difficult in Ghana, the President of GUTA, Dr. Obeng, mentioned 22 different taxes apart from VAT, adding up to nearly 65% of the value of imports.
Moreover, over fourteen state agencies operate in the port, as well as various security agencies. This state of affairs drives up the cost of doing business, making businesses move to other ports, and encouraging unethical practices.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.
In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.
The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.
According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.
UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.
The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.
It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.
UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.
The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.
The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.
Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.
By: Jacob Aggrey
