Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has commended the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration for enacting the legislation that paved the way for the rollout of fiscal electronic devices to improve Value Added Tax (VAT) compliance.

Presenting the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament, Dr Forson said that although the concept of fiscal electronic devices was first proposed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the NPP government deserved credit for passing the enabling law.

"For emphasis, the enabling legislation, the Taxation Use of Fiscal Electronic Device Act, 2018, was introduced by the previous NPP administration," he said. 

"Mr Speaker, I just want to use this opportunity to commend them."

He said that eight years later, the current NDC government was taking the decisive step of implementing the reform.

Dr Forson disclosed that the pilot phase of the fiscal electronic device programme was at an advanced stage and that the government would introduce a VAT reward scheme to encourage compliance. 

Under the scheme, customers who obtain valid VAT invoices will qualify for periodic rewards.

According to him, the initiative is intended to involve the public in protecting the country's tax base.

"This is how a tax culture is built—not through fear but through participation, transparency and reward," he said.

The Finance Minister also revealed that the Chairman and Ranking members of Parliament's finance and budget committees had been invited to provide strategic oversight for the implementation of the reform.

He said Ghana currently loses an estimated 60 percent of its potential VAT revenue due to non-compliance and systemic inefficiencies.

"This is unacceptable. Losing 60 per cent of the VAT that you are supposed to collect to develop your country is unacceptable. It cannot continue, and under this government it will not continue," he said.

Dr Forson called on Parliament to support the government's efforts to crack down on businesses and individuals who collect VAT from consumers but fail to remit it to the State.

He said the fiscal electronic devices would improve VAT collection, reduce revenue leakages and ensure businesses properly account for the tax they collect.