MINISTER FOR GENDER CALLS FOR EQUITABLE TAX POLICIES TO STRENGTHEN SOCIAL PROTECTION

The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has reiterated government’s commitment to designing tax policies that strengthen social protection and safeguard the most vulnerable in society.

She made the call at the National Tax Forum 2025 in Accra, organized by Revenue Mobilization Africa (RMA) in partnership with the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), under the theme: “Tax Policies for Social Protection.”

The Minister stressed that equitable tax systems are essential for redistributing wealth, reducing poverty, and funding programmes such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), the School Feeding Programme, Free Senior High School, and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). While these interventions have improved human capital and reduced poverty, she cautioned that gains are under threat from fiscal pressures and competing demands.

She raised concern that over 60% of domestic revenue is drawn from indirect taxes like VAT and fuel levies, which disproportionately burden low-income households. To address this, she outlined five priorities: broadening the tax base through informal sector formalization; enhancing progressivity so those with greater means contribute more; curbing tax evasion, avoidance, and illicit financial flows; earmarking taxes for social programmes; and improving public trust through transparency and accountability.

The Minister also highlighted the need to protect women and marginalized groups in the informal sector, recognize unpaid care work in tax policy, and adopt socially just responses to rising living costs.

She called for collaboration from civil society, the media, academia, and development partners in advancing tax reforms, and commended RMA and its partners for providing a platform to deliberate on tax justice.

She stated, “The ultimate goal of tax reform is not only to raise revenue but to raise living standards. Every cedi mobilized fairly expands the fiscal space to protect children, empower women, support the elderly, and invest in future generations. Tax justice is social justice, and a fairer tax system is the surest pathway to a better Ghana.”

Source: MoGCSP