Ghanaians must change attitude with respect to payment of taxes – Central Regional Minister

Company News of Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh

2019-04-10

Central Regional Minister Kwamena Duncan called for a change of attitude among Ghanaians regarding the payment of taxes.

He explained that in the development of any nation, taxes were essential, "No country can develop without effective tax administration and governance".

Duncan was speaking at the Central Region's launch of Taxation and Governance Week 2019 in Cape Coast.

The week was instituted by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in accordance with the April declaration as customer service month.

This year's event focuses on: "Filing your tax returns, paying taxes, moving Ghana beyond help"

Mr Duncan spoke about tax evasion, the inefficiency of the tax system and the low level of tax education as a militant factor against tax mobilization in the country.

Low tax revenues, he noted, continue to undermine efforts to ensure the country's effective development.

He congratulated GRA for their hard work and the deployment of the electronic solutions platform to improve the payment of taxes via the electronic payment method.

He stressed the need for the country to broaden the tax net to allow more people to pay their taxes.

He noted that the current situation, where only a few paid their taxes, was not the best if the nation wanted to grow quickly.

In addition, he called on Ghanaians to be conscientious and respect time because of their essential role in promoting productivity.

He said that the attitude towards the time of most of the country's inhabitants was not the best, stating, "We must change this attitude if we want to progress as a nation" .

In his address, George KO, deputy commissioner in charge of the Ghana Tax Administration's (GAN) middle tax office, Amankwa-Boateng said, "The importance of the month of customer service is to ensure that that the GRA provide quality and professional services in all its offices and border posts to all its stakeholders.

He stressed the need for agency staff to adopt a positive corporate culture that, he noted, would have a positive impact on the image of the organization.

"Our attitude must be one that ensures our stakeholders or clients that they are welcome in our offices and that we will be professional in our dealings with them during the badessment, collection and processing. accounting for tax revenues from a Ghana Beyond Aid, "he said.

Mr. Amankwa-Boateng explained that the purpose of the event was to improve the level of compliance of tax returns and payments, which he said would result in increased revenues and would allow to achieve the 2019 revenue goal.

"The Income Tax Act, 2015 (Bill 896) requires all persons who earn income to file their annual income tax returns by April 30 of each year," he said.

He said he was concerned about the attitude of some taxpayers in the region, who used all the possible tactics to avoid paying taxes or paying taxes that were calculated incorrectly.

He said: "This attitude must change if we want to see a significant development that we deserve in the central region".

Mr Amankwa-Boateng added that last year the country had a tax-to-GDP ratio of 10% instead of 20% or more as a middle-income country.

He therefore called on Ghanaians to bring their fair and honest share of tax revenues to enable the desired accelerated development.

The Ghana Tax Administration, he said, has put in place a number of electronic solutions to facilitate the filing of tax returns and the payment of taxes to taxpayers.

"This will ultimately significantly improve the World Bank-requested business referral facility and all well-meaning Ghanaians," he said.

The supreme leader of the Oguaa Traditional Zone, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, who presided over the occasion, reiterated the need for citizens to honor their tax obligations.