The Centre for Democratic Movement (CDM) has issued a sharp rebuke to President John Dramani Mahama and his administration for failing to honour a major campaign promise to abolish the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy, describing the move as a “betrayal of public trust” and “an act of moral inconsistency.”
In a strongly worded statement released on Sunday, May 11, 2025, the civil society group expressed disappointment in what it termed the government’s “unconscionable reversal,” accusing it of disregarding the economic hardship of ordinary Ghanaians.
“During the 2024 election campaign, then-candidate John Dramani Mahama made no uncertain terms about the fate of the COVID-19 levy. Now in office, the President and his economic managers have reversed course, citing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme as justification for the levy’s continued imposition. This is not only unacceptable; it is unconscionable,” the statement recalled.
The group stressed that the COVID-19 levy, introduced during the pandemic, has outlived its purpose, yet remains in force, burdening citizens amid ongoing economic challenges.
They insisted that the President’s prior condemnation of the tax made its retention especially egregious.
“The abandonment of this campaign promise is not simply a matter of policy adjustment; it is a betrayal of trust. A president who reneges on solemn pledges risks becoming a symbol of expediency, not principle,” CDM declared.
Citing Article 36(1) of Ghana’s Constitution and international obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), CDM argued that maintaining such a regressive tax undermines both domestic and global commitments to economic fairness and human rights.
They further called on the Mahama administration to: Present to Parliament a roadmap for the full abolition of the levy; Apologize publicly for breaking the campaign promise; and Reaffirm its commitment to ethical and accountable governance.
The CDM reminded the government of the enduring power of political memory stating, “As the African proverb says, ‘The axe forgets; the tree remembers.”
“Ghanaians remember the words spoken on campaign platforms. They remember the hope. They remember the promise.”
