Bawumia pledges to scrap E-Levy by March 2025; New tax reforms in first budget

The Vice President and New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has announced that the controversial levy on mobile transactions, commonly known as the e-levy, will be scrapped in his first budget presentation to Parliament by March 2025, if he is elected President.

During a media engagement in Accra on Sunday, Dr. Bawumia also outlined plans to implement major tax reforms, including a tax amnesty and flat tax rate, within the first three months of his administration.

Explaining the urgency behind scrapping the e-levy and introducing tax reforms, Dr. Bawumia emphasized the need to create an environment conducive to business growth, which he views as crucial for job creation and economic transformation. He stressed that digitalization would be a cornerstone of his strategy to drive Ghana’s development and increase employment opportunities for the youth.

"The e-levy will have to go by March as we present our first budget, given our focus on digitalization as we take off," Dr. Bawumia stated.

"The new tax reforms—the flat rate regime and the tax amnesty—will also be introduced immediately, as we are committed to supporting businesses to grow."

Dr. Bawumia highlighted the importance of creating an enabling environment for businesses as a means to generate jobs for the country’s youth. He assured that one of his administration's immediate priorities would be to take bold decisions early on that would significantly impact job creation.