Development economist and a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Economic Research and Public Policy, Dr Frank Bannor, has refuted claims by the Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, to the effect that the removal of the electronic levy, popularly called E-levy, did not weaken revenue mobilization.

Expressing his views on the remark made by the Finance Minister, the GIMPA economist said that claim is not supported by the facts on the ground.

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According to him, though the E-levy was scrapped, several other taxes were introduced to fill in the vacuum created by the removal of the electronic levy.

“This is factually misleading because the NDC government after abolishing E-levy, increased the Growth and Sustainability Levy from 1 percent to 3 percent on the gross production of mining companies,” he wrote on Facebook.

“At the same time, the NDC has introduced 1ghc levy on every litre of fuel purchased under the Energy Sector Amendment Act 1141,” he added.

“In addition, GRA announced a 15% VAT on non-life insurance premiums which was effective July 2025! All these are meant to fill the fiscal loophole created by the abolishment of the E-levy!”

FULL TEXT: 2026 Budget Statement presented in Parliament by Minister of Finance

Reading the 2026 Budget and Economic Statement of the President, Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson stated that government’s decision to abolish E-levy has yielded dividends because it did not lead to a weakening of revenue mobilization, a position Dr Frank Bannor has disputed with facts.