Associate Professor at the Economics Department of the University of Ghana, Priscilla Twumasi, has called for greater emphasis on property taxation as the country expands social interventions and economic reforms.
Speaking at the KPMG 2026 Post-Budget Forum on Monday in Accra, held under the theme “Resetting for Growth, Jobs and Economic Transformation,” Prof. Twumasi noted that while the 2026 budget prioritises economic growth, job creation, and transformative infrastructure, it offers limited guidance on property taxes, an area she has consistently advocated for.
“I didn’t see much on property taxation. That is something that I really consistently mentioned and advocated for. I am not too sure that it is because the political class is the ones who own these properties, and so the willingness to collect that is not there,” she said.
Prof. Twumasi explained that property taxation is a critical tool for diversifying revenue streams and ensuring a more progressive tax system.
“I think that it is a fact that we need to do more on property taxation as income levels increase. I am expecting that as the tax revenues and the VAT rate in the future come down, the burden will be less on the poor rather than the rich,” she noted.
She also highlighted a broader challenge facing Ghana’s fiscal system: while social programmes are expanding, tax collection remains insufficient to sustain them.
“I must also indicate that overall, we are increasingly going all out on social interventions, yet we are not collecting enough taxes. Countries that are heavy on social interventions are very heavy on taxation, particularly when it comes to VAT,” Prof. Twumasi added.
She argued that reforms in property taxation could relieve pressure on consumption taxes and help ensure that high-income property owners contribute fairly to the national coffers, thereby reducing the regressive impact on lower-income households.
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