The Ningo-Prampram office of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) has held its annual Citizenship Week celebration with a call on citizens to pay their taxes.
The NCCE organized two separate sensitization programmes for eight schools in Prampram to commence the week-long education of basic school pupils on the need their needs and responsibilities as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
Right Reverend Lawrence Amartey, Superintendent Minister of Ningo-Prampram District of the Methodist Church of Ghana, acting as a resource person, encouraged Christians to pay their taxes in accordance with the Bible.
Rt. Rev. Amartey reminded them that in Romans 13:3 to 5, God had made the government and his minsters to oversee matters on earth and therefore entreated Christians to pay their taxes to their leaders.
“For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are minsters of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honour to whom honour is owed”, he quoted.
He commended the NCCE for the initiative to educate children on their obligations as it was very important to inculcate the spirit of patriotism in them so that they would grow into responsible citizens.
Rt Rev Amartey therefore encouraged the pupils to share with their families, parents and other grown ups on the need to pay their taxes as that was the only way to ensure they got the needed social amenities that would enable them enjoy their rights.
Madam Gifty Owusu Ansah, Ningo-Prampram District Health Director, Mr Frederick Huago, Human Resource Officer at the Ningo-Prampram Education Directorate and Mr Benjamin Armah, Ningo-Prampram District Coordinator for the Assembly, all spoke on the need to pay taxes for government to accrue revenue for developmental project.
They said the constitution enjoined all citizens to declare their incomes honestly to the appropriate and lawful agencies as well as satisfy all their tax obligations.
They reminded the public that with revenue accrued from their taxes, government would be able to create jobs, and provide electricity, health facilities, potable water, roads, schools, libraries, security, among others.
The resource persons mentioned the types of taxes as income, corporate, personal income, Pay as you earn, vehicle income tax, tax stamp, gift tax, capital gains and rent taxes.
Miss Gifty Agyeiwaa Badu, Ningo-Prampram District NCCE Director, said the Citizenship week which was aimed at educating the youth on national issues and their civic rights and responsibilities was initiated in 2012 as a subsidiary of the Constitution Week celebration.
Miss Badu added that the broad theme for the NCCE for the year 2018 was, “Our Nation, Our Heritage: Consolidating Ghana’s Democratic Gains”, and sub theme of, “Our Taxes Build a Great Ghana”, for the Citizenship Week.
She said resource persons would be used during the week to educate the youth on the topic while they served as role models to them.