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‘Removal of tax on locally manufactured pads insignificant
Ms Osam
The removal of tax on locally manufactured pads by the government is insignificant, the Managing Director of Reflo Company Limited, producers of Reflos sanitary pad and baby diapers, Ms Rebecca Osam,has said.
This, she said was due to the fact that only a small percentage of pads used were produced locally. She said majority of the productswere imported.
Consequently, she proposed that government should consider removing taxes on imported sanitary pads to make them affordable.
Ms Osam said this in an interview with the Spectator in Accra last week.
The Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori Atta in his budget statement to Parliamentlast week announced that locally manufactured sanitary pads will no longer attract Value Added Tax (VAT).
He added that government would be scrapping import tax on raw materials for thelocal manufacture of sanitary pads.
But Ms Osam said the removal of VAT on locally produced sanitary pads would positively benefit only local producers.
However, she said since a small fraction of sanitary pads used were produced locally, the tax relief would not be felt by the users.
“Majority of sanitary pads are being manufactured internationally and importerswould still bear the VAT cost, thereby affecting their final prices.”
“I will continue to advocate the removal of taxes on all sanitary pads. These are essential products for women, not luxuries,” Ms Osam said.
Meanwhile in an interview with a cross section of women in Accra, they lauded government’s idea of zero tax on locally made sanitary pads, saying “we hope the market women will reduce the prices of locally manufactured pads.”
Ms Naomi Agyeman, a National Service Person with the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) said it was a good idea for government to remove taxes on locally manufactured pads.
She was of the view that it will help reduce the price and also be affordable for the less privileged and students.
She urged local manufacturers to either maintain or improve the standards of the pads to increase its presence on the market.
Ms Veronica Adwoa Mensah, a student said, “I think that is a good step taken by the government. As females, pads are very important for us and it becomes difficult for us to purchase when the prices are high.”
She was optimistic that with the zero tax, prices of locally manufactured pads will be reduced and also urged government to consider taking taxes off imported sanitary pads too.
Ms Pamela Davodzie, a student, said she will definitely purchase locally manufactured pad when the quality is good at the expense of the foreign ones
By Elizabeth Agyeibea Ackon
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana Tourism Authority is leading Ghana’s participation at ITB Berlin, which opened in Berlin with a vibrant national pavilion highlighting Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, tourism destinations and investment opportunities.
March 5 has been designated as Ghana Day, a special platform to promote Ghana’s languages, cuisine, Kente, festivals and business prospects to the global tourism community. The stand has already drawn strong interest with traditional arts and crafts displays, immersive multimedia presentations and popular Ghanaian snacks.
Seven private-sector players are exhibiting alongside government officials as part of efforts to deepen trade partnerships, expand market access, and attract investment across the hospitality, heritage tourism, ecotourism, and creative arts sectors.
Ahead of the official opening, the Ghana delegation also engaged young Ghanaian investors in Germany in collaboration with V Afrika-Verein and the Ghana Embassy, strengthening diaspora investment linkages and highlighting opportunities within the tourism value chain.
Ghana’s coordinated presence at ITB Berlin 2026 reinforces its strategy to position the country as the Gateway to Africa and a competitive destination for leisure travel and global investment.
