President John Dramani Mahama has stated that government will no longer grant blanket tax exemptions for imported medical equipment, explaining that future requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
He said institutions importing specialised medical equipment could apply for tax relief, but each request would be assessed on its merits.
Mr Mahama announced this on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, when he commissioned a positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET CT) scan facility at the Sweden-Ghana Medical Centre in Accra.
Responding to appeals for tax concessions from operators of the facility, the President said the era of automatic exemptions had ended.
“In Twi, we say when someone climbs a good tree, you push them. Regarding tax exemptions, blanket exemptions are no longer granted. It is on a case-by-case basis,” he said.
Mr Mahama added that applications for exemptions for imported medical equipment would still be considered where necessary.
“If you order any medical equipment, you can apply for exemption on that equipment, and I can assure you that we will look at it very favourably,” he said.
The Exemptions Act, 2022 (Act 1083) requires prior written approval from the Finance Minister before tax exemptions can be granted.
According to the Ministry of Finance, Ghana lost GH¢4.6 billion to tax expenditures in 2023, while the World Bank estimated the total cost of tax exemptions at 3.9 per cent of Gross Domestic Product.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Mr Mahama described the PET CT facility as an important addition to Ghana’s healthcare system, particularly in cancer diagnosis and treatment.
He explained that the technology would allow doctors to detect diseases earlier and monitor treatment outcomes more accurately.
“Today’s event is not merely the unveiling of a machine. It marks the beginning of a new chapter in Ghana’s healthcare journey anchored in innovation, accessibility and renewed hope for our people,” he said.
Mr Mahama observed that many Ghanaians had, over the years, travelled abroad for specialised diagnostic services because of limited local facilities, often at great financial and emotional cost.
He said the new facility would help reduce the need for overseas referrals and strengthen confidence in healthcare delivery in the country.
The President also expressed the hope of positioning Ghana as a centre for specialised medical diagnosis within the West African sub-region.
“I envision people coming from Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso and other ECOWAS states to seek specialist medical diagnosis here in Ghana,” he said.
Mr Mahama called on private investors and professional bodies to invest in advanced healthcare facilities to support government’s efforts in the sector.
He further announced that the PET CT facility would operate under the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as MahamaCares, to support eligible cancer patients with diagnosis and treatment costs.
“The treatment and diagnosis of cancer can be very expensive. Many families are impoverished when a member of the family is afflicted by cancer,” he said.
Mr Mahama also disclosed that government was expanding specialised healthcare infrastructure nationwide, including newly procured catheterisation laboratories for the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and Tamale Teaching Hospital.
He added that plans were underway to construct regional hospitals in the newly created regions, as well as cardiology centres to ease pressure on referral hospitals across the country.
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