Richard Ahiagbah, the Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has launched a scathing critique of the Mahama administration for its failure to abolish the COVID-19 levy in the 2025 budget, a move that directly contradicts a key campaign promise. Ahiagbah’s central argument revolves around the broken trust between the government and the Ghanaian populace. He contends that the government’s decision to retain the levy, despite explicit pledges to repeal it, demonstrates a disregard for the commitments made to the electorate. This perceived betrayal, according to Ahiagbah, further erodes public confidence in the government’s ability to deliver on its promises and manage the nation’s finances responsibly.
Ahiagbah’s criticism extends beyond the broken promise itself to encompass the government’s overall approach to economic management. He characterizes the government’s engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as theatrical, suggesting that the focus on negotiations and external assistance obscures the core issues plaguing the Ghanaian economy. He argues that relying on the IMF and retaining the COVID-19 levy are merely short-term fixes that fail to address the underlying structural problems and impose unnecessary burdens on ordinary citizens. He implies that the government’s actions are driven by expediency rather than a genuine commitment to long-term economic stability and the well-being of Ghanaians.
The COVID-19 levy, implemented as a temporary measure to address the economic fallout of the pandemic, has become a point of contention. Ahiagbah highlights the inherent contradiction in the government’s decision to retain the levy while simultaneously removing other taxes. He posits that the revenue generated from the COVID-19 levy is crucial for closing the budget gap and fulfilling the conditions of the IMF program. This, he argues, demonstrates a misplaced prioritization of external obligations over the financial relief promised to the Ghanaian people. The retention of the levy, in his view, represents a broken promise that adds to the already heavy tax burden faced by citizens.
The government’s justification for retaining the COVID-19 levy, as presented by the Finance Minister during the 2025 budget presentation, centers on the ongoing Value Added Tax (VAT) reforms. The argument is that the COVID-19 levy will remain in place until these reforms are completed by the end of the year, after which it will be abolished. However, Ahiagbah dismisses this explanation as insufficient. He argues that the government’s initial promise was unequivocal and should have been honored regardless of the VAT reform timeline. He perceives the connection between the levy and the VAT reforms as a contrived justification to continue collecting the tax, further reinforcing his perception of the government’s lack of commitment to its promises.
Ahiagbah’s critique underscores a broader concern about the government’s fiscal policies and their impact on the Ghanaian populace. He argues that the retention of the COVID-19 levy, coupled with the government’s reliance on the IMF, indicates a lack of a clear, sustainable economic plan. He implies that the government is more focused on appeasing international institutions than on addressing the real needs of its citizens. The continued burden of the levy, in his view, exemplifies the government’s tendency to prioritize short-term solutions over long-term economic growth and the well-being of the Ghanaian people.
In essence, Ahiagbah’s criticism of the Mahama administration’s handling of the COVID-19 levy is not merely about a broken promise. It represents a broader indictment of the government’s economic policies, which he perceives as lacking transparency, prioritizing external obligations over the needs of citizens, and failing to address the fundamental economic challenges facing the nation. He portrays the government as prioritizing short-term gains and political maneuvering over the long-term economic health and prosperity of Ghana. His critique serves as a call for greater accountability, transparency, and a more citizen-centric approach to economic policy-making.
