Musician and politician Rex Owusu Marfo, popularly known as Rex Omar, has assured that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will tackle all Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) tax-related issues at showbiz events if they win the December elections.
Rex Omar criticized the GRA’s approach of demanding tax payments at events without considering the costs incurred by organizers.
He stated, “It is unprofessional and inappropriate for the GRA to invade an artist’s event or an organizer’s event, demanding tax payment without probing the cost incurred in holding the event.”
He made this statement while discussing NDC flagbearer John Dramani Mahama’s policy to support the creative arts and culture industry, dubbed ‘The Black Star Experience,’ on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning show.
Rex Omar emphasized that the NDC will ensure the creative industry and economy of Ghana take their proper place.
The politician also assured that a Mahama-led administration would negotiate with Corporate Ghana to offer tax incentives to companies supporting the creative industry.
He explained, “You cannot go to an event centre and start taking taxes on tickets that people are buying without you even knowing how much money the event organizer has invested in the event. If the organizer spends, let’s say, a hundred or two hundred thousand to organize the event and only sells a hundred thousand tickets, and you’ve taken taxes out of that, isn’t it supposed to be an income tax? The guy didn’t even break even, yet you’ve taken money from him.”
He added, “We will also be talking to Corporate Ghana so that companies that support the creative industry can be given some tax incentives.”
These measures, he asserted, are aimed at developing the creative economy to create more sustainable jobs under the supervision of appointed technical team members.
Meanwhile, the NDC plans to improve the sector to attract foreign investors’ attention and interest in collaborations and other promotional deals.
“Any means that we will use to support this industry to grow so as to be able to export cultural products to bring foreign direct investment and money to support our economy, that is what we’re going to do and also create platforms for Ghanaian creatives,” Rex Omar stated.
Regarding the GRA’s presence at events, Rex Omar noted that while the GRA would be allowed to appear at venues, their power to operate would be limited compared to current practices.
As part of the NDC’s campaign policies, John Mahama unveiled the ambitious “The Black Experience” plan to rejuvenate Ghana’s creative industry during a media encounter on Sunday, July 7.
The comprehensive policy framework is designed to enhance the tourism and creative arts sectors, expressing optimism about the initiative and emphasizing its potential to significantly bolster these industries.
The initiative includes several major innovations, such as Pan African Month, Ghana Film Festival and Awards Month, Ghanaian Heritage and History Month, Fashion and Food Month, and Diasporan Month.
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