Man Breaks Down Over 20 Taxes Worth GH₵39k Paid on His Newly Imported 2012 Toyota Vitz
- A young man has taken to social media to reveal the numerous taxes he had to pay when importing a 2012 Toyota Vitz into Ghana
- He used the platform to educate followers on the over 20 different charges applied to just one car
- The young Ghanaian did not shy away, and he also made public the total he paid in taxes for the vehicle
A young Ghanaian man has gone viral after breaking down the total taxes he paid, amounting to GH₵39,412 for importing a 2012 Toyota Vitz into Ghana.
Source: UGC
In a 2-minute, 29-second video posted online, he explained each tax item, describing some of them as “annoying.”
Although he did not mention the exact date of the shipment, he indicated it was recent.
Breaking down the charges, he listed several items, including:
COVID-19 Health Net Worth Charge – GH₵3 235.17
Net Worth Charge VAT – GH₵ 37.40
Net Worth Charge Covid-19 Health – GH₵ 2.35
Ghana Shippers Authority SNF – GH₵ 9
GETFund Import – GH₵ 1,801.39
…and many more.
Clearly overwhelmed, he exclaimed:
“Ghana Education Trust Fund import!”
He added:
“And the final thing, and the most annoying one—Covid-19 Health Recovery Levy, GH₵ 720.56!”
His video comes at a time when many Ghanaians continue to complain about high import taxes, not only on cars but on various items.
The steep charges have discouraged several people from importing goods into the country, with many afraid of unexpected costs after hearing experiences shared online.
@Nipabinti1 wrote:
"I’m facing this same issue. My car, a Toyota Yaris 2012, has been there for a month now. And I’m supposed to 55k. I wanted to work with ride-hailing. But no money to pay the duty."
Watch the X, formerly Twitter video below:
Reactions to shipping tax on 2012 Toyota-Vitz
YEN.com.gh compiled more comments on the video.
@Samdork91 wrote:
"They charge this huge amount for NHIL, and the only thing it caters for at the hospitals is consultation."
@jhaycarter1 wrote:
"This is the duty on that same vehicle. Check the date. It depends on the exchange rate, too."
@NorthsideVano added:
"I do not disagree that it's still a bit much, but to be fair, it has reduced substantially. Somewhere last year, a friend brought the same car model and paid about GHS50k."
@dom155rich1 wrote:
"Absolutely atrocious. Why must we heap all these costs on imports? This underhanded arrangement generates revenue for the government, but it also ensures that inflation remains high. Importers have no choice but to pass on the costs to consumers."
@johnstoni added:
"And he bought the car for $500 ."
Mahama administration set to scrap covid-19 tax
The 2026 budget is expected to see the scrapping of the COVID-19 Levy and introduce several tax reforms as the Mahama administration prepares for its second year.
Minister of Finance Dr Cassiel Ato Forson will present the 2026 Budget and Economic Statement to Parliament on November 13.
The budget President Mahama’s second in his new term is expected to allocate major resources to flagship programmes while addressing labour demands, with some labour unions threatening strike actions.
According to Graphic Online, the government is expected to allocate GH¢30.8 billion to the “Big Push” infrastructure programme, a significant rise from GH¢13.85 billion in the 2025 budget.
The $10-billion initiative will draw heavily from oil revenue allocations.
Other programmes that will receive attention include:
24-Hour Economy Programme
Women’s Development Bank
National Apprenticeship Programme
Adwumawura Programme
Digital Jobs Initiative
Agriculture for Jobs Programme
Rapid Industrialisation for Jobs Programme
The government has also promised significant resources for the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat.
A key highlight of the budget will be the removal of the controversial COVID-19 Levy, and a full restructuring of the VAT system to simplify the current complex setup.
Source: Facebook
Removal of 'nuisance' taxes
In the 2025 budget, the government removed the:
E-Levy
Betting Tax
Emissions Levy
VAT reforms also reversed:
The decoupling of GETFund and NHIL
The VAT flat rate regime
The registration threshold was also raised to exempt micro and small businesses.
Mahama Administration Implements New Taxes
YEN.com.gh reported on July 1, 2025, that a number of tax reforms have taken effect as part of the John Mahama administration's plan to improve revenue mobilisation.
Under the new tax system, the Ghana Revenue Authority has rolled out what it calls the Modified Taxation Scheme, which aims to enhance tax collection from informal sector workers. .
Source: YEN.com.gh
