ACCRA: The Vision for Alternative Development-Ghana (VALD-Ghana) has urged the government to implement regular adjustments to the Excise Tax on tobacco to counter the effects of inflation and maintain its deterrent impact on tobacco consumption. The organization emphasized the necessity of periodic tax reviews to ensure tobacco products remain unaffordable, thereby contributing to long-term reductions in usage.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Labram Musah, Executive Director of Programmes of VALD-Ghana, highlighted this call during a stakeholders’ review meeting focused on Excise Tax Implementation in Ghana. His presentation, titled “Enhancing Public Health and Revenue Generation: The urgent need for Ghana to revise its Tobacco Excise Tax Structure,” underscored the diminished real value of the specific excise tax due to high inflation and currency depreciation in Ghana.
Initially set at 0.02 USD (0.28 pesewas), the tax’s effectiveness has waned as inflation and currency shifts have made tobacco product
s more affordable than intended. Mr. Musah advocated for pegging the excise component to the US dollar, in line with ECOWAS directives, to stabilize the tax’s real value and maintain its deterrent effect against tobacco consumption.
Mr. Musah cited the World Health Organization’s stance, noting that when tobacco taxes fail to keep pace with inflation, their effectiveness in curbing consumption diminishes, particularly among price-sensitive populations. Dr. Alex Kombat, Senior Revenue Officer of the Ghana Revenue Authority, highlighted the Excise Duty Amendment Act’s success in improving revenue generation and reducing tobacco use prevalence since its implementation.
Dr. Kombat reported that the Import Excise Duty on tobacco has generated 252,477,842.68 in revenue over one year and four months, describing it as a significant achievement. He outlined the Amendment Act’s objectives, including revenue generation, fiscal sustainability, and resource allocation toward priority areas like healthcare. The governmen
t, he stated, is responsible for protecting citizens from health risks associated with harmful products through health taxes.
He also noted that health taxes, levied on products with negative public health impacts such as tobacco and sugary beverages, aim to correct market failures. Despite measures against tax evasion and illicit trade, illicit excisable products remain on the market. Dr. Kombat called for research to assess the amendment’s impact and inform potential further amendments.
Dr. Olivia Agyekumwaa Boateng, Head of Tobacco and Substances of Abuse Department at the Food and Drugs Authority, hailed the Excise Duty Amendment Act as a milestone in tobacco control. The FDA, committed to supporting the Act’s implementation, has been awarded the Tobacco Policy Action Fund for Africa (TOPAFA) project to enhance tobacco control policies and address funding gaps in African countries, including Ghana.