The Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has stated that the government could consider reducing taxes and duties if ongoing efforts to plug revenue leakages succeed.
According to him, sealing loopholes in the tax system and ensuring full compliance would broaden the revenue base and ease the burden on compliant taxpayers.
His remarks come on the back of the interception of 18 articulated trucks at the Akanu and Aflao borders on February 18, 2026.
The trucks, which were declared to be in transit to Niger, were carrying assorted goods including cooking oil, spaghetti, and tomato paste. They were intercepted by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority over suspicions of irregularities.
The vehicles were allegedly moving without the mandatory customs human escort, a serious breach of established transit procedures.
The consignments are estimated to represent potential lost revenue of GH¢85.3 million, with an initial assessment pegged at GH¢2.62 million.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, February 23, 2026, the Asuogyaman MP said that the government’s clampdown on such practices is part of a broader strategy to ensure fairness in the tax system.
“If we are able to seal these revenue leakages and ensure appropriate taxes are paid, we may get to a point where we may even have to reduce taxes and duties. But for now, the burden is only on the few law-abiding ones,” he added.
He stressed that the focus of the Finance Ministry is not to overburden compliant businesses and individuals but to make sure all importers and traders meet their tax obligations.
Mr. Ampem noted that once compliance improves and revenue leakages are curtailed, the government would have the fiscal space to review existing tax rates, potentially easing the pressure on businesses and households.
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