Minority accuses gov’t of misleading Ghanaians with ‘no new taxes’ claim in 2027 budget

The Minority has accused the government of presenting a misleading picture of its tax policy by repeatedly insisting that the 2027 budget introduces no new taxes while projecting a sharp increase in revenue from fees and charges.

Ranking Member of Parliament’s Finance Committee, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, said the government's assurance that it would not impose additional taxes was contradicted by figures contained in the budget.

He pointed to projected revenue from fees and charges, which is expected to rise from GH¢1.3 billion in 2026 to GH¢6.1 billion in 2027, representing an increase of approximately 354%.

The opposition also cited a projected 22.8% increase in taxes on goods and services, alongside a 15.6% rise in PAYE revenue in 2027.

“The Minister repeats that Ghana is raising revenue ‘without imposing new taxes on our people’. The budget's own appendices show what that means in practice,” Dr Amin Adam said.

He argued that increases in fees for passports, licences, permits and registrations would impose additional financial demands on citizens, even if the government did not formally introduce new tax categories.

“Every passport, licence, permit and registration is a charge on the pocket,” he said.

The Minority said the government's no-new-tax message therefore failed to reflect the broader financial burden facing Ghanaians, insisting that the impact of revenue measures must be assessed by what citizens actually pay rather than how the government describes them.

Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has maintained that the 2027 budget will introduce no new taxes, saying the government will instead improve compliance, close revenue leakages and modernise tax administration.