The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection Sarah Adwoa Safo has said she is taking the necessary steps to address the tax placed on imported sanitary items on the Commemoration of the 2021 Menstrual Hygiene Management Day.

Prior to the 2020 Elections, Vice President, His Excellency Mahamudu Bawumia, speaking at the Launch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Manifesto at Cape Coast promised Ghanaians that the Government will scrap the 20 percent levy placed on imported sanitary pads which are categorised as luxury products per the Ghana Revenue Authority guidelines.

Hon Sarah Adwoa Safo in a Solidarity Message on the commemoration of the 2021 Menstrual Hygiene Management stated her intent to accelerate the process of realising the government’s intention of eliminating the tax on sanitary pads which has been of huge concern to girls, women and Civil Society Organizations.

“The needs of young girls is of utmost concern to me as a Minister and reducing the stigma around menstrual hygiene management is one that I take very seriously and that is why upon my assumption to office I have written to the Ministry of Finance for a direct follow up on the removal of the luxury tax on the import of sanitary items,” she stated.

She also expressed the need to promote Menstrual Hygiene management to positively contribute to improved school performance by girls.

“Given the challenges that women and girls face, it is important to promote Menstrual Hygiene Management towards safeguarding the dignity and integrity of women and girls to positively contribute to improved school performance” she mentioned.

She continued,

“It is my hope that through programmes like this, we can break the silence, raise awareness and change the negative social norms surrounding Menstrual Hygiene in Ghana so that every woman and girl is empowered to manage her menstruation safely and hygienically”.

The scrapping of the levy on Sanitary Pads is expected to reduce the cost of imported sanitary pads making it affordable for Ghanaians.