The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana has appealed to the Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, to abolish the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy in the 2026 national budget, which is expected to be presented on 13th November 2025.
According to the Association, the levy has outlived its purpose and continues to impose an unnecessary financial burden on businesses struggling to recover from the effects of the pandemic and current economic challenges.
Speaking to the media, the Executive Secretary of the Association, Mr. Sampson Asaki Awingobit, emphasized the need for the government to remove the levy to ease the cost of doing business and boost trade activities.
“In the 2026 budget, we want to see the complete abolishment of the COVID levy,” Mr. Awingobit stated. “The levy was introduced as a temporary measure to help the government recover from the pandemic’s fiscal impact. However, several years after the height of COVID-19, maintaining it only increases the cost burden on importers, exporters, and ultimately consumers.”
Mr. Awingobit further applauded the government to for the management of the economy especially the devaluation of dollar against the Ghanaian Cedi.
