He made the declaration on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at the commissioning of a positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET CT) scan facility at the Sweden-Ghana Medical Centre in Accra, after operators of the facility appealed for tax concessions.
“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,” the President said.
He assured institutions importing specialised medical equipment that applications for tax relief would still be entertained and assessed on their merits. “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 added.
The policy shift aligns with the Exemptions Act, 2022 (Act 1083), which requires prior written approval from the Finance Minister before any tax exemption can be granted. Ghana lost GH¢4.6 billion to tax expenditures in 2023, according to the Ministry of Finance, while the World Bank estimated the total cost of tax exemptions at 3.9 per cent of GDP.
Beyond the tax announcement, President Mahama described the newly commissioned PET CT facility as a landmark moment for Ghana’s healthcare system. “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.
He noted that many Ghanaians had long travelled abroad for specialised diagnostic services at considerable financial and emotional cost, and expressed ambitions for Ghana to become a regional hub for medical diagnosis. “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.
The President announced that the facility would operate under the Ghana Medical Trust Fund — MahamaCares to support eligible cancer patients with diagnosis and treatment costs, noting that cancer remains a financially devastating diagnosis for many Ghanaian families.
Mahama also disclosed plans to procure catheterisation laboratories for Korle Bu, Komfo Anokye and Tamale Teaching Hospitals, and to construct regional hospitals and cardiology centres nationwide to ease pressure on referral facilities.
