The Ministry of Finance has officially granted Hon. Samuel Nartey George, Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, an exemption from paying a wide range of import taxes and levies to clear a luxury vehicle, a Lexus LX600.
This was communicated in a letter dated January 3, 2025, signed by Hon. Abena Osei-Asare, the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry.
The exemption, which is grounded in Parliamentary Resolution No. PS/CS/80/178 passed on July 15, 2021, allows Hon. Sam George to clear the vehicle without paying Import Duties, VAT, GETFund Levy, NHIL, ECOWAS and EXIM Levies, Covid-19 Recovery Levy, Inspection Fee, AU Levy, Special Import Levy, and Withholding Tax.
The arrangement is made possible under Article 174(2) of Ghana’s Constitution, which provides for such waivers for members of parliament.
According to the document, the total duty payable on the vehicle amounts to over GHS 626,000, but due to the allowable duty threshold, only GHS 2,150 will be paid by the MP. The document also clarified that any subsequent sale or transfer of the vehicle to a third party would attract the necessary taxes and duties.
The Ministry noted that the approval followed the submission of supporting documents, including a tax clearance certificate and a recommendation from the Parliamentary Service.
While such exemptions are not uncommon for MPs, the clearance of a high-end vehicle amid Ghana’s economic recovery efforts is likely to stir public conversation around the privileges of public officials and the broader issues of equity in taxation.
