Dr. Gideon Boako, Member of Parliament for Tano North, has raised concerns about the decision to abolish the E-levy, Betting Tax, and COVID-19 levy.

He believes that removing these levies could lead to the introduction of new taxes to meet obligations to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In an interview with Citi News following Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson’s vetting on January 13, 2025, Dr. Boako argued that if these taxes are indeed removed, the government may need to introduce new taxes to address the debt service-to-revenue ratio required by the IMF’s program and debt sustainability analysis.

He emphasized that without this, there is no other viable option to meet financial obligations.

He further explained, "We don't want a situation where the government gives with one hand and takes away with the other. If taxes are to be reduced, they should be clear about it. Scrapping the E-levy and Betting Tax should not be followed by the creation of other taxes to fill the gap."

In response, Finance Minister Designate Ato Forson assured that the NDC government plans to eliminate these taxes and will address the resulting revenue shortfall through expenditure cuts.