President John Dramani Mahama has signed the COVID Health Recovery Levy Repeal Act 2025, fulfilling his campaign promise to abolish the 1% value added tax imposed after the pandemic.
Speaking after signing the bill at the Presidency on Wednesday , the President said Ghana remained one of the only countries still taxing citizens for a pandemic that had passed.
“Promise made, promise delivered,” the President declared as he signed the repeal act dated December 10, 2025.
He criticized the levy’s introduction, saying the then government had promised free water, free electricity, and free food during the pandemic, but shocked Ghanaians by imposing the 1% VAT after both the pandemic and elections were over.
“To the shock of most Ghanaians after the pandemic was over, and after the elections were over, government slapped Ghanaians with a 1% value added tax, ostensibly to recover what it’s supposed to have spent on the COVID pandemic,” the President stated.
He said many Ghanaians disliked the tax, which the my government promised to repeal during the 2024 election campaign.
“Today, I’m pleased that on the 10th of December, 2025, I’ve signed the repeal act to remove the 1% COVID levy,” President Mahama said.
The COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy was introduced as a 1% addition to the existing VAT rate, with government arguing it would help recover expenditures incurred during the pandemic response.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
