Press Release: Clarification on 20% Tax Deduction from Security Personnel Rent Allowance

The Ministry of the Interior has addressed circulating media reports alleging that it had authorized a 20% tax deduction from the rent allowances of security services personnel. Officers of the Ghana Police, Immigration, the military, and the sister security services reacted to the deduction, compelling the Ministry of Interior to provide explanations for the deduction.

To set the record straight, the Ministry provides the following clarifications:

• Jurisdiction: The Ministry of the Interior does not have the mandate or legal authority to deduct taxes from the allowances of the nation’s security officials.

• The Source of Deduction: While confirming that a 20% deduction was indeed applied to these allowances, the Ministry noted that this action was carried out at the source by the Ministry of Finance.

• Legal Compliance: According to the Ministry of Finance, the deduction was made in strict accordance with existing tax laws.

The Ministry remains committed to the welfare of our security forces and encourages personnel to rely on official channels for accurate information regarding their remunerations.

The ministry, as part of efforts to resolve the issue, has called on all officers affected to remain calm. It assured that the government of Ghana was not in a position to shortchange the officers. In the coming days, the ministry is expected to provide updates on the issue and bring it to a conclusion.

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Below is the full report.

The ministry wishes to clarify that it does not have the mandate to deduct tax from the rent allowance of security services personnel.

However, the 20 percent tax deduction from the rent allowance was done by the Ministry of Finance at source in line with tax law, according to the Ministry of Finance.

We urge all personnel to remain calm and rest assured that the government will not shortchange any personnel and will continue to prioritize their welfare.

Signed

Public Affairs and Communications Unit