The Centre for Democratic Movement (CDM) has launched a blistering critique of President John Dramani Mahama and his administration for failing to abolish the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy.
In a strongly worded press statement dated May 11, 2025, the CDM accused President Mahama of “a profound breach of public trust” for maintaining the controversial levy, which he had unequivocally promised to scrap while campaigning for office in the 2024 general elections.
“Live up to the ideals you professed. Choose integrity over convenience. Restore trust and let your legacy reflect leadership with moral courage,” the Centre said, in a direct appeal to the President.
A Broken Promise that Ghanaians Remember
The COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy, introduced under the previous administration as a temporary fiscal measure during the pandemic, has long been criticised as burdensome by both citizens and economists.
Then-candidate Mahama seized on public dissatisfaction, repeatedly pledging to abolish the tax if elected.
Addressing campaign rallies and televised debates, Mahama declared: “The COVID-19 levy is a needless tax. It must be abolished to ease the burden on the Ghanaian people.”
According to the CDM, this promise offered Ghanaians hope amid soaring inflation, escalating utility tariffs and widespread economic distress.
However, since assuming office, the administration has maintained the levy, citing conditions tied to Ghana’s ongoing programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
“This is not only unacceptable; it is unconscionable. What was presented as a matter of principle has now been reduced to an excuse for political expediency.”
The CDM said the failure to deliver on this key campaign promise amounts to more than just a political misstep – it is a moral failure that undermines the ethical foundations of democratic governance.
“The abandonment of this campaign promise is not simply a matter of policy adjustment; it is a betrayal of trust. A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes.”
They added: “In governance, promises are not mere thoughts; they are commitments. A president who reneges on solemn pledges risks becoming a symbol of expediency, not principle.”
The group further pointed to constitutional and international legal frameworks that they say support the immediate scrapping of the levy.
Citing Article 36(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the CDM reminded the government of its obligation to promote “the right to work, the right to good health care and the right to a decent standard of living.”
They argued that maintaining the levy in the current economic climate directly undermines this constitutional responsibility.
Additionally, the Centre referenced Ghana’s commitment to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which compels state actors to use maximum available resources to realize citizens’ economic rights. “Maintaining a regressive tax that disproportionately affects the poor is incompatible with these international commitments,” the statement noted.
To rectify the situation and uphold its credibility, the CDM issued a three-point demand to the Mahama administration:
- Present a clear roadmap to Parliament for the complete abolition of the COVID-19 levy within the shortest possible time, independent of IMF pressure;
- Publicly apologise to Ghanaians for the failure to fulfil the campaign promise;
- Reaffirm its commitment to transparent, accountable, and ethical governance through legislative and policy measures.
“To continue collecting this levy while citing IMF conditions – after declaring it ‘needless’ and ‘unjustifiable’ – is not only contradictory but demeaning to the intelligence and dignity of the very citizens who entrusted this government with power,” the group emphasised.
Quoting an African proverb, the statement concluded: “The axe forgets; the tree remembers.” The CDM warned that while politicians may overlook their promises, Ghanaians remember every word.
The Centre urged President Mahama to honour his word and take immediate steps to abolish the COVID-19 levy, restoring faith in his leadership and the democratic process.
