Ghana’s former Minister of Finance and current Presidential Advisor on Economy, Seth Terkper, will launch his second book titled "VAT in Africa The Ghana Experience " on June 25, 2025, at 3 PM.

This event commemorates another success in Terkper’s distinguished career, which has been deeply intertwined with Ghana’s fiscal policy reforms, particularly in taxation.  

Under Terkper’s leadership as Finance Minister (2013–2017), Ghana saw further VAT reforms, including adjustments to the VAT Flat Rate Scheme (VFRS) and efforts to improve compliance and enforcement. His work extended to modernising revenue administration, chairing key committees like the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) reforms.  

Ghana’s VAT system, introduced in 1994 under President Jerry John Rawlings, has undergone transformations over the years. Initially set at 17.5%, its implementation faced fierce opposition, leading to nationwide protests and a temporary suspension before being reintroduced in 1998 at a reduced rate of 10%.

Since then, VAT has evolved into an important revenue tool, with successive amendments introducing levies such as the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) Levy (2.5%) and the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) (2.5%), bringing the effective rate to 15% at various points.  

Terkper, a Chartered Accountant and Harvard-trained public administrator, has long been a leading voice on fiscal policy.

His first book, VAT Handbook by Thomson Reuters (2011), remains a key reference on Ghana’s tax system.

His upcoming book is expected to delve deeper into VAT’s role in Ghana’s economic development, drawing from his experiences as both a policymaker and an IMF Senior Economist, where he advised multiple countries on tax reforms.  

As Presidential Advisor on Economy, Terkper continues to shape Ghana’s fiscal strategies, advocating for balanced growth, tax efficiency, and diversification beyond oil revenues.

The book launch will likely reinforce his legacy as a key architect of Ghana’s modern tax regime.