The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, has sharply criticised what he describes as growing fiscal injustice in Ghana, accusing political elites of imposing economic burdens on the poor while failing to address systemic corruption and financial waste.
In a strongly worded social media post, Mr Braimah argued that the government’s approach to resetting the country’s economy has placed an unfair tax load on ordinary citizens, while those responsible for financial mismanagement remain untouched.
“Resetting Ghana shouldn’t be about imposing new taxes on the poor to continue to enrich elite and privileged looters,” he wrote. “It should be about curbing the huge waste and massive looting in all sectors.”
According to Mr Braimah, Ghana lost more than GHC38 billion in recent years due to waste and corruption across various public institutions. He said efforts to recover these funds should take precedence over introducing new levies and charges.
He further questioned the utility of taxes paid by Ghanaians on petroleum products, revealing that in 2024 alone, GHC26 billion was collected through fuel-related taxes.
“Where did all that money go to? What problems did it solve?” he asked. “Despite this, we are being told that we need over $3 billion to solve our energy sector issues.”
Mr Braimah’s remarks come at a time when Ghanaians are grappling with a rising cost of living, exacerbated by new taxes and levies introduced in the government’s latest fiscal policy. Critics argue that while public spending continues to balloon, basic infrastructure and services remain underfunded.
The MFWA head also drew attention to a scandal at the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), alleging that it is larger in scale than the National Service Scheme (NSS) scandal of previous years.
“By the way, the scandal at the NPA is far bigger than the NSS scandal. Millions already gone in quarter one of 2025,” he noted.
Although Mr Braimah did not provide additional details on the alleged NPA scandal, his comments suggest growing unease among civil society leaders over a lack of accountability in public institutions.
So far, the government has not responded publicly to the allegations raised.
Analysts say the comments are likely to resonate with a large segment of the Ghanaian population frustrated with the apparent disconnect between tax contributions and the services received in return. Calls for transparency and reform have intensified in recent months, with stakeholders urging the Auditor-General, Parliament, and law enforcement agencies to act swiftly in investigating public financial losses.
Mr Braimah’s statement adds to a growing wave of civic voices demanding structural reform over temporary financial measures.
“Our focus should be on recovering all the over GHC38 billion that were lost in the last years to waste and looting,” he insisted.
As pressure mounts for a change in how public funds are handled, the coming weeks may see heightened scrutiny of Ghana’s financial management systems, especially within agencies like the NPA, where fresh allegations of irregularities are emerging.
