President John Dramani Mahama has stated that government will no longer grant blanket tax exemptions for imported medical equipment, explaining that future requests will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

He made the announcement on May 13, 2026, during the commissioning of a positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET-CT) scan facility at the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre (SGMC) in Accra.

President Mahama said institutions importing specialised medical equipment could still apply for tax relief, but each request would be considered on its merits.

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“...when someone climbs a good tree, you push them. Regarding tax exemptions, blanket exemptions are no longer granted. It is on a case-by-case basis,” he said.

He added that applications for exemptions on imported medical equipment would still be considered where necessary.

“If you order any medical equipment, you can apply for exemption on that equipment, and I can assure you that we will look at it very favourably,” he noted.

Under the Exemptions Act, 2022 (Act 1083), prior written approval from the finance minister is required before tax exemptions can be granted.

According to the Ministry of Finance, Ghana lost GH¢4.6 billion to tax expenditures in 2023, while the World Bank estimates that tax exemptions cost about 3.9% of Gross Domestic Product.

JKB/MA

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