Tax experts have urged the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to be proactive in collecting taxes in the country.
According to the tax experts, GRA’s monitoring system is very poor and has allowed a number of companies to evade taxes, a situation they describe as very worrying.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Morning Show “Dwaso Nsem” Friday, the tax experts say they are shocked at how the GRA appears unperturbed by the number of companies evading taxes in the country.
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Their comments follow decision by GRA to tax activities of churches in the country.
Commissioner of the GRA, Kofi Nti has promised to pay informants 25 per cent of a penalty against churches hiding under a fellowship to make money without paying taxes to the state.
President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has backed the plan for churches in the country to be taxed, grounding his position on the fact that churches have now moved into the realm of wealth creation and prosperity.
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But a tax expert, Dr. Samuel Kwasi Asare Bediako said before revenue officers embark on taxing churches, they should register all churches to make work easier for them.
“I don’t have any problem if they want to tax churches. But they should know which church is benefiting and those that are not benefiting. They should register them so that it makes work easier. They should also be proactive and not be armchair collectors” he warned.
Also, a Chartered Accountant and a tax expert, Kennedy Amoako on the same show said the government has a mission of carrying out numerous projects and initiatives; however, all these could not be achieved if officers mandated to mobilize domestic tax revenue are not working.
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Mr. Amoako who seemed shocked at the huge amount owed by the big companies urged the GRA to wake up from their slumber.