Training on GHAMOD – a tax-benefit microsimulation model for Ghana

Training on GHAMOD - a tax-benefit microsimulation model for Ghana


This event will provide potential users of the GHAMOD model with comprehensive training. As well as providing an overview of the model, the event will include a number of case studies. Attendees will leave with an appreciation of how to navigate and interpret the GHAMOD user interface; how to run GHAMOD; and how to build and implement a basic policy reform.

Tax-benefit microsimulation models, which combine representative household-level data on incomes and expenditures and detailed coding of tax and benefit legislation, have proven to be an extremely useful tool for policy makers and researchers alike. The models apply user-defined tax and benefit policy rules to micro-data on individuals and households and calculate the effects of these rules on household income. The effects of different policy scenarios on poverty, inequality, and government revenues can be analysed and compared.

Ghana, like other developing countries, is now building up its social protection system and the financing of public spending will need to be increasingly based on domestic tax revenues. In this process, understanding the system-wide impacts of different policy choices is critically important, and tax-benefit microsimulation models are very well suited for this purpose.

Programme

Day 1

 

14:00-15:30

Navigating the GHAMOD user interface. Introducing the definitional policies.

15:30-16:00

Break

16:00-17:00

Introducing the tax-benefit policies.

Running the model and accessing the output.

Practical – familiarisation with GHAMOD

Day 2

 

09:00-09:15

Recap
09:15-10:15

GHAMOD functions and parameters I

10:15-10:45

Break
10:45-12:30

Analysis of microsimulation output

12:30-14:00

Lunch
14:00-15:30

Creating a new system.

Amending a policy – example

Practical – familiarisation with amending a policy

15:30-16:00

Break

16:00-17:00

GHAMOD functions and parameters II
Day 3  

09:00-09:15

Recap
09:15-10:15

Adding a new policy

Practical – familiarisation with adding a new policy

10:15-10:45

Break
10:45-12:30

Policy swaps (examining the impacts of implementing other countries’ policies)

GHAMOD: Next steps