The Tax Justice Coalition Ghana has called for an urgent audit of existing tax incentives and stronger enforcement of tax regulations to ensure that tax exemptions generate clear economic benefits for Ghana rather than depleting state resources.
The call was made at a strategic policy dialogue on the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review, organised to assess the government’s fiscal direction and advocate for a fairer and more efficient tax administration.
Held under the theme, “Assessing Ghana’s 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review: Implications for Domestic Revenue Mobilization and a Progressive Tax System,” the forum brought together civil society organisations, policy experts and other key stakeholders to examine Ghana’s current fiscal policies and identify measures to promote sustainable revenue growth.
Addressing the forum, National Coordinator of the Tax Justice Coalition Ghana, Mr. Benedict Doh, highlighted significant revenue leakages within the tax system, particularly in Corporate Income Tax (CIT) and Value Added Tax (VAT) collections.
He said addressing these gaps is critical to strengthening Ghana’s domestic revenue mobilisation efforts without placing an excessive burden on vulnerable groups.
Mr. Doh called for targeted and structured measures to expand the tax base, improve compliance and ensure that businesses contribute their fair share to national development.
According to him, closing the identified tax gaps would require the modernisation of tax collection mechanisms, stronger enforcement and measures to prevent profit shifting by large corporations.
Mr. Doh stressed that tax incentives should be subjected to regular assessment and accountability mechanisms to ensure that the revenue forgone by the state translates into measurable economic gains, including investment, employment and sustainable growth.
Beyond structural reforms, the Tax Justice Coalition Ghana advocated for a gender-responsive tax system that takes into account the different economic burdens taxation can place on women, particularly those operating within the informal economy.
The Coalition argued that tax policies must be designed to promote equity while ensuring that efforts to expand domestic revenue do not disproportionately affect vulnerable groups.
Key priorities emerging from the dialogue included expanding the tax base by addressing systemic leakages in CIT and VAT, strengthening tax compliance and reviewing corporate tax incentives to ensure they provide direct and measurable economic returns.
The document is expected to be submitted to the Ministry of Finance for consideration in the preparation of the 2027 National Budget.
The Coalition says the proposed recommendations will provide a framework for progressive tax reforms, improved domestic revenue mobilisation and a more equitable tax system in Ghana.
By Kingsley Adusei Amakye
