Plug tax loopholes and cut expenditure waste – John Kwakye to Mahama

Dr. John Kwakye, Director of Research at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), has called on the Mahama administration to close tax loopholes and curb wasteful spending.

Dr. Kwakye said these measures would help the government recover revenue lost from planned tax eliminations.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, February 16, he stated, “Plugging tax loopholes and cutting expenditure waste will be enough to compensate for intended tax eliminations.”

President John Dramani Mahama has also emphasized the need to strengthen Ghana’s Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Public Financial Management Act, highlighting the importance of reducing waste and tackling corruption.

Speaking at the Africa Business Forum 2025 on Monday, February 17, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Mahama said, “We must analyse the factors that brought Ghana to this point and implement steps to ensure we do not end up in this situation again. That will entail strengthening the Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Public Financial Management Act.

“We need to cut out waste and reduce corruption. These are some of the critical issues that must be addressed.”