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By Efua Nessa
President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the government will no longer grant automatic tax exemptions on imported medical equipment. Going forward, all requests for exemptions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The announcement was made on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, during the commissioning of a positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET CT) scan facility at the Sweden-Ghana Medical Centre in Accra, following a request for tax relief from the facility’s operators.
“In Twi, we say when someone climbs a good tree, you push them. Regarding tax exemptions, blanket exemptions are no longer granted. Each request will be considered individually,” President Mahama said. He reassured institutions importing specialised medical equipment that applications for tax relief would still be considered on their merits. “If you order any medical equipment, you can apply for exemption, and we will review it favourably,” he added.
The policy aligns with the Exemptions Act, 2022 (Act 1083), which mandates prior written approval from the Finance Minister before any tax exemption can be granted. According to the Ministry of Finance, Ghana lost GH¢4.6 billion to tax expenditures in 2023, while the World Bank estimates total tax exemptions at 3.9 percent of GDP.
Beyond the tax announcement, President Mahama hailed the newly commissioned PET CT facility as a milestone for Ghana’s healthcare system. “Today’s event is not merely the unveiling of a machine. It marks the start of a new chapter in Ghana’s healthcare journey, grounded in innovation, accessibility, and renewed hope for our people,” he said.
The President highlighted the financial and emotional burden many Ghanaians face when seeking specialised diagnostic services abroad and expressed his vision for Ghana to become a regional hub for medical diagnosis. “I envision patients coming from Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso, and other ECOWAS states to access specialist medical diagnosis here in Ghana,” he stated.
The facility will operate under the Ghana Medical Trust Fund — MahamaCares, supporting eligible cancer patients with diagnostic and treatment costs. Recognising the heavy financial toll of cancer on families, the President also announced plans to procure catheterisation laboratories for Korle Bu, Komfo Anokye, and Tamale Teaching Hospitals. Additionally, he revealed intentions to construct regional hospitals and cardiology centres nationwide to ease pressure on existing referral facilities.