Madam Delese Mimi Darko, the Chief Executive of the Food and Drugs Authority, says tax policies on products
like tobacco and alcohol, with negative public health consequences are beneficial.
“The taxes advance health equity, prevent disease, save lives, and generate revenue for the general budget. These
funds can also support Universal Health Coverage,” she stated.
Madam Darko made the remark at the first National Forum on Tobacco Taxation on the theme: “Strengthening the
Evidence for Effective Tobacco Taxation for Health and Development in Ghana.”
It was organised by the Vision for Alternative Development – Ghana (VALD-Ghana) in Accra.
The forum was aimed at seeking feasible recommendations through which Ghana’s tobacco taxation could be
comprehensively aligned with global standards, particularly those outlined by the WHO Framework Convention on
Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
The goal was to address the social, health, environmental and economic impact of tobacco use.
Madam Darko said the passage of the Excise Duty Amendment Act, 2023 (Act 1096), marked a significant
milestone in tobacco control in Ghana, transitioning from an ad-valorem tax structure to a mixed tax structure.
“Raising taxes on tobacco products increases their price, making them less affordable and preventing youth
initiation,” she noted, adding that; “Article ‘6’ of the WHO FCTC encourages countries to implement price and tax
measures, and Ghana is dedicated to this effort,” she said.
The Daily Searchlight supports the call for the imposition of extra tax on certain products with negative health
implications, such as cigarettes and alcohol. We believe that this would help with the effort to discourage the use of
cigarettes and alcohol by the general public, particularly the youth and young adults.
That said, the State must also encourage healthier lifestyles such as good and safe living, exercises and healthy and
nutritious eating habits.
The absence of the measures outlined above, and the concentration on taxation, leaves the people with the niggling
impression that what government and regulators really need is the revenue from the higher taxes, and not the reason
given to discourage the use of alcohol and cigarettes.
It is in this wise that we call on government to implement measures that encourage good and safe living, exercises
and healthy and nutritious eating habits, in addition to the taxes.
Further, we believe that tax policy should be uniform, in other to avoid the situation where taxes are imposed at
whim, causing inconvenience and hardship for the populace.
(Editorial of the Daily Searchlight of 10 th July, 2024).
