General News of 2013-03-06

Gov’t won’t increase taxes – Information Minister

Information and Media Relations Minister, Mahama Ayariga has denied reports suggesting that government is seeking approval from Parliament to increase tax rates.

He said there was no basis for suggesting that the government was proposing tax increases.

Finance Minister, Seth Terkper on Tuesday March 5, 2013, presented government’s budget statement for the year to Parliament for approval.

The budget proposed a new approach to raising money to fund government’s ambitious plans for the country in the 2013 fiscal policy statement.

Mr. Terkpeh told Parliament the country’s tax regime had remained largely unchanged for a very long time even though the economic conditions had changed.

But speaking on the Independence Day edition of the Super Morning Show on Joy FM Wednesday, Mr. Mahama Ayariga said: “there is no indication as such in the budget that taxes will be increased".

The Information Minister explained that government was simply proposing reform of the present tax regime - widening the tax net to increase the number of people who pay tax.

This he said would be achieved by merging the various identification systems - National ID, Health Insurance ID and Voter ID - to better identify people who are engaged in commercial activities for tax purposes.