First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has described tax evaders in the country as nation wreckers.
According to him, the actions of such tax evaders amount to wrecking the nation as it denies the country needed-revenue for development as expected by citizens.
“Any Ghanaian who does not get a Tax Identification Number (TIN) and who does not pay his taxes is a nation wrecker”, Osei-Owusu emphasized.
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“The country can be developed as expected by all, if all citizens pay their taxes to ensure the needed resources to build the nation”, he added.
Joseph Osei Owusu was speaking at the opening of a three-day sensitization workshop on the taxation systems in Ghana, organized by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) for members of the Parliamentary Press Corps (PPC) at Prampram.
The workshop was to school the journalists on the new Tax Identification Number (TIN) Policy to enable them communicate more effectively on the new tax legislation.
The TIN Policy, introduced in April 2018, is expected to broaden the country’s revenue to help increase developmental projects in the country.
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Osei-Owusu also called on the general public to embrace the newly-introduced Tax Identification Number (TIN) policy and be committed to tax payment.
Osei-Owusu who also doubled as MP for Bekwai admonished the general public to contribute to the development of the country by paying the required taxes and charged citizens to expose others who evade tax.
Joseph Osei Owusu also charged media to intensify its education on the TIN and the importance of tax payments to build the nation.
On his part, a Member of Parliament’s Finance Committee and MP for Bantama, Daniel Okyem Aboagye says the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) should punish tax defaulters to serve as deterrent to others in the country.
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Okyem Aboagye also urged GRA to reward companies who are truthfully paying their taxes on time.
The MP also added that the government cannot achieve it Ghana Beyond Aid agenda if Ghanaians fail to pay their due taxes to ensure the needed resources.
Meanwhile, the Technical Advisor at Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Henry Yentumi says the move by the authority to educate journalist is to increase the country’s revenue mobilization.