{
  "id": 14452585,
  "title": "Domestic VAT collections rise 11.5% in July as retail sales decline 1.5%",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/domestic-vat-collections-rise-11-5-in-july-as-retail-sales-decline-1-5",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-14T12:55:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Adom Online",
    "slug": "adom-online",
    "url": "https://www.adomonline.com/domestic-vat-collections-rise-11-5-in-july-as-retail-sales-decline-1-5/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In July 2026, domestic VAT collections saw an 11.5% year-on-year rise, reaching GH¢2.142 billion, according to the September 2026 Monetary Policy Report. Despite this increase, retail sales faced a 1.5% year-on-year decline, falling to GH¢236.41 million from GH¢239.89 million. On a month-to-month basis, retail sales decreased by 0.8% to GH¢238.25 million from the previous month's GH¢238.25 million. Cumulatively, retail sales for the first seven months of 2026 rose by 2.2% compared to the same period in 2025.\n\nThe manufacturing sector demonstrated improvement in July 2026, with direct taxes collected increasing by 53.5% year-on-year to GH¢8.085 billion. Cumulatively, direct taxes for the first seven months of 2026 surged by 27.7% to GH¢60.771 billion, up from GH¢47.592 billion for the same period in 2025. Private sector workers' contributions to the SSNIT Pension Scheme also grew by 11.2% year-on-year to GH¢570.59 million in July 2026, compared to GH¢513.34 million in the corresponding period of 2025. Cumulatively, these contributions increased by 10.7% for the first seven months of 2026, reaching GH¢3.856 billion, up from GH¢3.482 billion in the same period of 2025.\n\nThe construction sector witnessed a 4.9% year-on-year decline in July 2026, with cement sales dropping to 202,218.17 tonnes from 212,735.33 tonnes a year ago. On a month-to-month basis, cement sales decreased by 0.6% to 203,435.35 tonnes in July 2026, compared to 203,435.35 tonnes in June 2026. Cumulatively, cement sales for the first seven months of 2026 fell by 10.3% to 1,475,115.01 tonnes, down from 1,644,413.19 tonnes in the same period of 2025.\n\nTransport sector activities improved in July 2026, with vehicle registrations increasing by 51.7% to 31,909 vehicles, up from 21,038 registered during the same period in 2025. Cumulatively, vehicles registered by the DVLA in the first seven months of 2026 increased by 52.7% to 228,261, from 149,440 in the corresponding period of 2025.",
  "summary": "Consumer spending, proxied by domestic VAT collections and retail sales, posted a mixed performance in July 2026, compared with the corresponding period in 2025, the September 2026 Monetary Policy Report. Domestic VAT collections increased by 11.5% on a year-on year basis to GH¢2.142 billion, from GH¢1.922 billion. Cumulatively, total domestic VAT for the first seven […]",
  "key_points": [
    "Domestic VAT collections rose 11.5% in July 2026 to GH¢2.142 billion",
    "Retail sales declined 1.5% year-on-year in July 2026 to GH¢236.41 million",
    "Private sector SSNIT contributions grew 11.2% in July 2026 to GH¢570.59 million"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}