Fees and levies for all government services will rise by at least 15% beginning in January 2022.
This is according to the 2022 budget announcement delivered on Wednesday, November 17, 2021, by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
According to the paper, the new charges would be subject to an annual adjustment based on the average inflation rate, with the Finance Minister’s approval.
The new fees will also be evaluated automatically every five years, according to the budget document.
“Review Fees and Charges with an average increase of at least 15 percent in 2022 and thereafter subject it to automatic annual adjustments by average inflation rate as published by the Ghana Statistical Service, but with the prior consent of the Minister for Finance. The fees and charges should, however, be subjected to general review every 5 years. The effective date of implementation is 1st January 2022,” the budget stated.
The announcement is part of the government’s new measures aimed at increasing domestic revenue.
This new measure will affect fees for government services such as vehicle registration and drivers’ license issuance by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), birth and death certificate issuance by the Birth and Death Registry, and passport issuance by the Passports Office, among others.
Previously, these agencies had to submit their service price increase to the Finance Ministry, negotiate, and get permission.
In other situations, the new government regulation purports to restrict the frequency and pace at which such taxes and levies are raised or dropped.
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